Apethorpe

Apethorpe is a grand country house in Northamptonshire dating from about 1500 and later. It became something of a cause celebre in the conservation world, and was eventually compulsorily purchased by English Heritage.

The house is particularly famous for its Jacobean decorative plaster ceilings, which were in various states of repair. Skillingtons worked alongside Philip Gaches (prior to Philip joining Skillingtons) on a specialist sub-contract for the restoration as accurately as possible of various missing areas in conjunction with the stabilisation by various means of surviving but unstable plaster.

Client (Main Contractor): E. Bowman & Sons Ltd
Architect: Rodney Melville & Partners

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Stoke Rochford Hall

Designed by the Scottish architect William Burn for Sir Christopher Turnor in the 1840s, and now a conference centre, Stoke Rochford Hall near Grantham, sadly suffered from a serious fire in January 2005 where most of its magnificent bold Victorian plasterwork was lost.

Skillingtons were initially asked to advise on the conservation of the plasterwork here, alongside Jeff Orton who had been the principle plaster consultant. Tragically during his survey of the site Jeff suffered a nasty fall from a scaffold which left him concussed and unable to carry on.

Skillingtons found themselves increasingly involved in the documentation of surviving plasterwork and the safe removal of it for replication purposes (in fibrous plaster) by others.

Sub-contract value range: £25-£50K
Client: Austin Newport Ltd (Management Contractors)
Architect: Rodney Melville & Partners

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Easton Neston

Easton Neston is a fine late-17th century country house on the outskirts of Towcester, Northamptonshire, the Wren Wing of which was sadly gutted by fire in 2002.

The house changed hands in 2005 and the new owner is faithfully restoring this important building. Skillingtons won the plastering sub-contract package here and over about 12 months from early 2008 have completely re-plastered the interior of this wing using three-coat lime putty plaster, either onto split hardwood lath or direct onto masonry.

All openings and external angles have been finished with bespoke round beads manufactured by ourselves. Although relatively plain generally, the staircase is topped by a plaster dome, formed in situ by ourselves.

Sub-contract value range: £200-£300K
Main Contractor: Bennie Historic
Architect: Ptolemy Dean Architects

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Strawberry Hill

The restoration of Walpole’s Strawberry Hill in Twickenham has been one of the highest profile and most important building conservation projects of recent years. One of the key elements of this was the recreation of the original roughcast exterior and the associated stucco mouldings. These had been specifically chosen by Walpole to give the building its gothic appearance.

Skillingtons were successful in winning the specialist sub-contract for these works, which were carried out during 2009-2010. The effect is stunning, and has won much praise, not least for the quality of craftsmanship involved in executing these finishes on such a grand scale.

Contract value range: £200,000 - £250,000
Main Contractor: E. Bowman & Sons
Architect: Inskip & Jenkins

Chatsworth House

During 2009-2010 Skillingtons’ plastering team carried out extensive repairs and alterations to the plasterwork in the Leicester Landing, Oak Staircase, Bow and Paxton Bedrooms and the Bachelors Rooms as part of ongoing works at Chatsworth House.

The work involved running decorative cornices and ceiling mouldings in situ, with planted embellishments, all in lime plaster, as well as large areas of traditional three-coat work both on masonry and on riven lath.

Contract value range: £200,000 - £250,000
Main Contractor: E. Bowman & Sons
Architect: Inskip & Jenkins

Hardwick Hall

Skillingtons won by competitive tender the contract for the refurbishment of three towers at Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire, working directly for the National Trust. Working in close liaison with our friend and master plasterer Jeff Orton, with our own master plasterer Philip Gaches heading the team on site, this work was completed during 2009.

We carried out extensive repairs to the 16th century plasterwork including running in missing sections of cornice and modelling to missing fragments of decorative plaster overmantles. We are also carried out extensive patching to the historic gypsum plaster floors, and decorated the three rooms using carefully tinted limewash, produced by ourselves.

Skillingtons’ plasterers have also worked directly for the Trust at Calke Abbey in recent years, on other works at Hardwick Hall, and as sub-contractors to Bennie Historic to decorative plaster at Kedleston. Philip Gaches has recently been awarded a major national trophy for his plasterwork at Belton House.

Contract value range: £15,000 - £20,000
Client: The National Trust
Architect: Rodney Melville & Partners