design & access statement rev a - scale gill foot cottage....

P AUL CR OSBY A R C HI T E C T

P A U L C R O S B Y A R C H I T E C T · 5 W E S T G R O V E · K EN D A L · C U M B R I A · L A 9 4 P N

T E L / F A X : 0 1 5 3 9 7 2 4 7 4 5 · E M AI L : m a i l @ p a u l c ro s b y . c o m · w w w . p a u l c ro s b y . c o m

ARCHITECTURAL ASSESSMENT,

DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT

& JUSTIFICATION

for

SCALE GILL FOOT COTTAGE

REPAIRS AND RESTORATION TO PROVIDE

SINGLE DWELLING ACCOMMODATION

Prepared for

Mr Peter Whitehead

Revision A – April 2008

Scale Gill Foot, Cowgill Page 2 Revision A - April 08 Justification & Method Statement

P A U L C R O S B Y A R C H I T E C T · 5 WE S T G R O V E · K E N DA L · C UM B R I A · L A 9 4 P N T E L/ FA X : 0 1 5 3 9 7 2 4 7 4 5 · E M A I L : ma i l @p a ul c ro s b y . c o m · ww w . p a ul c ro s b y . c o m

INTRO DUCTIO N

This document has been produced to describe the restoration of the dilapidated and neglected Scale Gill Foot Cottage as a four-bedroom dwelling. This property once refurbished will provide a single

dwelling. This document aims to justify the repairs and alterations necessary for Scale Gill Foot

Cottage to return its former use as a house.

Furthermore my client wishes to refurbish Scale Gill Foot Cottage by removing the inappropriate materials used by the previous owners and repair it with materials homogeneous to the original fabric.

The proposal is to provide a sympathetic refurbishment and alteration of the house as discussed with

the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA) Planning Officer Andrea Burden and Mark

Stevenson the conservation officer. This proposal will provide a renewed use for the accommodation and with minimal intervention on the internal layout and considerable improvement to the external

interpretation. In providing the much needed new lease of life and retaining the original purpose of the

building my client will secure the listed structures future maintenance whilst keeping the impact on the

existing fabric to an absolute minimum with no need for extension.

Discussions have been progressing on the development of Scale Gill Foot Cottage and this report is an

extension of these discussions.

Page

The purpose of this report is as follows:

To exam the architectural quality and importance of Scale Gill Cottage 3

To clarify the proposals for its return to a dwelling with a method statement 6

to illustrate how, and a justification to say why, alterations are be carried out.

To consider renewable energy, materials and building control requirements. 9

This document is to be read in conjunction with architect's drawings:

Existing: 098/03/01 (plans) Proposed: 098/04/01 (plans)

098/03/02 (elevations) 098/04/02 (elevations)


P A U L C R O S B Y A R C H I T E C T · 5 WE S T G R O V E · K E N DA L · C UM B R I A · L A 9 4 P N

T E L/ FA X : 0 1 5 3 9 7 2 4 7 4 5 · E M A I L : ma i l @p a ul c ro s b y . c o m · ww w . p a ul c ro s b y . c o m

1. Building Status:

1.1. Scale Gill Foot Cottage is a grade II listed building. It is also adjacent the Grade II listed Dee

Side House and Coach House.

1.2. The building was previously part converted to accommodate groups of students. The

conversion was never completed. It did not have listed building consent and as a result much of the work is either inappropriate or damaging to the original layout and fabric of the cottage.

The building has fallen into disrepair and is now poor condition through neglect.

1.3. It is clear from examination that the building still holds special architectural merit worthy of

repair and restoration to return it to a dwelling. This document is not meant to be an exhaustive architectural evaluation of the building and its historical context but to give significance where

relevant to the presently proposed works.

2. Social History of the Dee Side Settlement:

2.1. The area gets its first mention in the Lonsdale Deanery probate files, which mention ‘the

Scale’ at Cawgill in a will of 1618. This is the earliest mention of the buildings in the Scale

Gill Foot area and almost certainly refers to the cottage at Dee Side.

2.2. Here is a summary of the history of Scale Gill Foot Cottage in the context of the Dee Side settlement as compiled by local historian David Boulton;

1824 Scalegillfoot farm bought by Robert Elam

1825 Abstract of 1834 referring back to 1825 describes the property as “messuage, farm and

tenement at Warescale otherwise Scalegillfoot consisting of...dwellinghouse with the

barns, stables, turf house and other buildings... [and] the site of another messuage, cottage or dwelling house then fallen down and in a decayed state”.

1827 Inherited by son John Elam

1836 First reference I've found to “John Elam Esq of Dee Side”

1840 Electoral register has “John Elam Esq of Duside” - obviously a mistake

1841 Census has 2 households at Scalegillfoot and another house “uninhabited”. Dee Side not mentioned by name.

1844 Dent Marble Works order book has “John Elam Esq of Dee Cottage”

1847 Elam sells Scalegillfoot and Dee Side to William Thompson of Underley Hall.

Thompson's daughter is married to Earl of Bective.

1851 Census lists Rev Matthews and family tenants of “Dee Cottage” 1853 Thompson buys the Dee Side “ grouse moor” - large tract of Whernside

1854 Thompson dies, Dee Side passes to his grandson Lord Kenlis, who inherits the Bective

earldom in 1870

1861 Census: Matthews still tenant. Nells Garth first recorded as “Sportsmans Inn”

1871 Census has “housekeeper to Lord Bective” at Dee Side. Also first mention of “new gamekeeper's lodge” (Mount Pleasant?)

1881 Census has Lord Bective’s “gardener/domestic servant”, wife and “general servant” in

occupation

1891 Dee Side listed as “uninhabited”

1901 Census has “Dee Side Shooting Lodge”, occupants “Away on census night”

ARCHITECTURAL ASSESSMENT:



3. Description of the Condition of Scale Gill Foot Cottage:

3.1. Scale Gill Cottage is in a derelict condition after being partially converted from a dwelling

house to a hostel for use by student groups. This work was not given consent and has been

done in an unsympathetic approach using inappropriate materials. The original building is constructed entirely from local limestone with a stone slate roof. The external walls have a

slurry pointing covering the stones with a thin layer that has been limewashed and then painted.

The stonework around the flue to the eastern gable is deteriorating, possibly due to the heat

emanating from the flue and to some extent the impervious nature of the external paint.

3.2. The remains of two of the earlier stone double chamfered mullioned windows can be seen at

ground floor which would have light the fire room and parlour of the earlier house form. Both

would have been three light windows as can be seen from the remaining head stones. The

height of the windows can be judged from the two remaining jambs and part of the cill to the

fire room window. The fire room may also have had a smaller window to the left of this closer to the position of the suggested smoke hood chimney acting as a fire window.

3.3. The southern ground floor room identified in the existing plans as ‘store’ would almost

certainly have been a separate byre with hayloft above possibly added at a later dater. The

suggestion for this being an extension are the change in the large foundation stones, the door now a window being at the return line of what might have been the external wall and the corbel

stones in the roof space that are normally on the external gable wall. This is not categorical and

it may be that the byre and hayloft might have been built as one with the house, but the plan

form suggests it encompassing the western end of the house. Either way these areas would not

have been connected to the house as they are now.

3.4. The extension to the western end is later, possibly at the same date as the catslide and appears

to have originally been intended for agricultural purposes with a wide entrance and a small

hayloft style high level door plus a rear external entrance store.

3.5. The catslide to the rear of the property appears to be later perhaps 19

th century as an expansion

of domestic space to improve facilities and comfort.

3.6. One simpler stone chamfered mullioned window remains at first floor.

3.7. The other windows are later alterations and now all have modern timber faux sash windows.

3.8. The roof covering is stone slate to all slopes. This is in poor condition and it appears water has

been coming in over the south west slopes and around the middle chimney.

Ground Floor:

3.9. All original plaster has been removed from the earlier part of the house and a hard cementitious

plaster applied on the chimney wall of the south west ‘store’ room. The rest of the ‘store’, the

living room, parlour and the central passage have exposed rubble stonework that has been re-

pointed with an extremely hard cement mix. The rear north west rooms under the catslide have a modern gypsum based plaster. All rooms have concrete floors but the ‘bedroom’/parlour is

covered in red and black tiles, possibly Edwardian, that match tiles in the utility rooms of Dee

Side House.




First Floor: 3.10. There is at present no stair to access the first floor. Access is only possible through the high

door at the western end.

3.11. The first floor rooms still have the original lime plaster, but where repairs have been

undertaken this has been replaced by gypsum based plaster or sand and cement. The partitions

that have been constructed are constructed from treated timber stud work with plasterboard covering.

3.12. Timber floors have been retained, but are later and are supported on sawn joists placed over the

original beams to the ground floor ceiling. The sawn joist do appear to have had a lathe &

plaster ceiling fitted as can be seen from the regular plaster staining pattern to them.

3.13. Part of the stone wall above the passage has been removed and the resulting widening of the

original opening has been lintelled with steel that is now deteriorating. There is blockwork

above this that is supporting the purlins and roof structure.

3.14. The middle chimney has corbels exposed in the roof space that suggest a cantilevered chimney, now removed, that might have taken an earlier smoke hood.

3.15. The main bedroom has a blackened central rough hewn truss, no king post but sawn timber

bracing. This truss has clearly been moved from the bearing stones that still project from the

walls approximately a foot below and to the north of its present position. This does not appear to be part of the present alterations as there is no sign of cementitious repairs around its new

position. It would appear that this was done at some previous time to raise the ceilings in the

upper rooms.

4. SUMMARY O F CO NDITIO N:

4.1. The Cottage although once a building of modest importance has been neglected and

inappropriate alterations have damaged its integrity.

a. The cementitious render/plaster is aggressive and wholly unsuitable to this property.

b. The cement floors are in poor condition but do not have damp proof membranes. c. The rear roof needs complete repair.

d. Some stones, especially around the flue to the eastern gable are deteriorating.

4.2. The building although stripped of any vestiges of its past and its use as accommodation still retains the internal layout that has evolved over the years. Each subsequent addition little

altered although the separate elements have been connected with later openings. Unfortunately

however the introduction of modern lightweight partitions, stripping of plasterwork, altering

ceilings and insertion of modern windows has lost a great deal of the buildings character.



5. The works to be undertaken have been described in the list below with relevant justification for their inclusion in the application for planning permission and also listed building consent by

fact of being a curtilage structure. They are in no particular order:

EXTERNAL ARRANGEMENTS

5.1. New sanitary, sewerage. The existing treatment plant situated to the north of the house may be replaced by a new bio-disc klargester style septic tank if the existing is found to be unsuitable

to accommodate the requirements of the house. If replaced then the new klargester will be sited

in the existing position.

5.2. The existing external plastic soil pipes will be removed and all new plumbing and soil pipes for all the new bathrooms/shower rooms will be fitted internally before going underground via new

drain runs to new bio-disc.

Justification: - The existing treatment plant would be removed if found unsuitable for the

house requirements. Existing soil pipes will be removed from the external walls of the building to reduce the impact of the refurbishment and keep the gable elevation clean of services.

5.3. New Water Supply. The water for Scale Gill Foot Cottage will be taken from the existing Dee

Side House supply. This will be stored in a sedimentation tank placed on the higher ground to

the west of the cottage behind the existing shed away from site. This will then be filtered for domestic use.

Justification: - The house is not near mains supply and Dee Side House already has a good

source of water. The sedimentation tank will act as a storage tank sufficient to cover low flow

periods.

5.4. New Fuel store. The house will be heated by oil fired boiler assisted by geo-thermal closed

loop ground source heat pump. The geo-thermal coils will be placed within the garden area

and/or re-using an existing defunct bore hole. The new oil storage tank will be at least 1800mm

from the building and 760mm from the boundary incorporating secondary containment on a fireproof base.

Justification: - The existing fuel tank is not fit for purpose. It will be replaced with a suitable

bunded tank.

5.5. Surface water drainage arrangements. All external guttering taking water from roofs will be

replaced with cast iron. This will have shoes discharging to new earthenware gulleys; there are

no existing gulleys. New drains will connect this to the existing Scale Gill.

Justification: - The existing white plastic gutters poorly painted black are inappropriate. They drain to ground adjacent to the building which introduces high levels of moisture in to the

walls at this position.

5.6. Ground water adjacent to the rear (North West) portion of the building and the return gables

will be directed away from the building using perforated land drains adjacent to the rear wall. These drains will be placed within trenches filled with hardcore and gravel and lined with

terram or other geo-textile material to avoid silt build up. The drains will be not lower than the

METHOD STATEMENT FOR PROPOSALS:




existing foundations to avoid new subsidence due to over drying and resultant shrinkage of

ground around the building. These will flow to Scale Gill.

Justification: - Land drains are desperately need to stabilise the fluctuating water table local

to the rear section of the building as water flows of the hillside. This action will reduce damp

issues in the rear walls and the ground floor generally.

New Greenhouse. My client is keen to grow his own vegetables where possible and to that end

wishes to erect a 3350x4300mm (Area: 14m2, Volume: 30m

3) painted traditional timber green

house within the garden to the north west of the house.

Justification: - To increase vegetable production and variety. The structure will be traditional in style and material and of a size and position so as not to be overbearing on the house and

the adjacent coach house.

5.7. External wall finish. We will brush back existing finish to sound substrate, repair stones at

flue on northeast gable using mortar, and limewash.

Justification: - The deteriorating stonework is due to constant heating and cooling combined

with freeze thaw off the surface. The plastic lime mortar repair will consolidate the stonework.

The lime wash will consolidate the surface and at the flue act as a sacrificial surface to stop

freeze thaw on the heated flue stones.

GROUND FLOOR

5.8. Passage way. The present passageway will be used for the new timber staircase. The space under the stair will be used as a w.c./shower room accessed via a new opening through to the

adjacent ground floor bedroom.

Justification: - Most likely place for earlier staircase. Toilet cum shower room can be formed

with a single doorway break through the passage rubble wall to the ground floor room. This will not affect the proportions of the existing rooms whilst providing facilities.

5.9. Dining Room. The concrete floor is to be removed and an insulated limecrete floor

incorporating under floor heating laid. The present fire surround is to be removed back to the

earlier opening and a traditional range inserted that will have a back boiler. The walls will not be raked to remove the cement pointing but they will be re-plastered with a lime mortar. The

missing ceiling will be refitted with plasterboard and skim.

5.10. Bedroom No.1. The concrete floor is to be removed and an insulated limecrete floor

incorporating under floor heating laid. The walls will not be raked to remove the cement pointing but they will be re-plastered with a lime mortar. The missing ceiling will be refitted

with plasterboard and skim.

5.11. Study. The concrete floor is to be removed and an insulated limecrete floor incorporating

under floor heating laid. Only the west ‘retaining’ wall will be raked to remove the cement pointing. The firewall will also have its cement based even plaster removed. They will be re-

plastered with a lime mortar. The missing ceiling will be refitted with plasterboard and skim.



Justification: - The concrete floor is in poor condition and doesn’t have any insulation. The

present fireplace in the dining room is very recent and at odds with the buildings architectural language. The exposed stone walls are out of keeping, and would always have been plastered,

but we are not going to remove all of the cement pointing as the act of doing this will damage

the stone unnecessarily. Where we are it is because the wall especially needs to breathe. The

cement pointing generally appears not to be affecting the stonework. The ceilings have been

removed and the upper floor joists altered in all cases, we feel the ceiling do not therefore require a lathe & plaster replacement.

5.12. Kitchen, Utility, Bathroom & Store. Remove plasterboard ceiling and open to the roofline in

the kitchen. Utility to retain ceiling. New bathroom and store to be formed within existing

spare room

Justifications: – This is an attempt to re-use these much altered rooms for services with

minimal alteration to the earlier section of the house.

FIRST FLOOR 5.13. Bedroom No.2. Partitions will be removed from the part finished toilets and a bedroom with

shower room created using treated timber studwork with plasterboard and skim finish. The

missing ceiling will be replaced with plasterboard and skim. The connecting opening to the

main room is to be closed off and a store formed. Where the walls have been given a cement or

gypsum based plaster finish this will be replaced with a lime based plaster.

Justifications: – This room has been much altered. We will repair where partially lost and fit

new where missing.

5.14. Living Room. We will complete the removal of the new plasterboard ceiling to this room and fit a new plasterboard ceiling directly under the roof. The purlins will still be exposed. The

truss will be cleaned of the black stain/paint and finished with beeswax. Where the walls have

been given a cement or gypsum based plaster finish this will be replaced with a lime based

plaster. The widened opening next to the stairs will be made good and the wall returned to

provide a barrier to the stair well. This studwork will include high level glazing to give secondary light to the stair well

Justifications: – Although there is evidence of a ceiling in this room, there has been a lot of

alteration including the moving of the truss. We want to include the truss within the room

rather than replace the damaged plasterboard. The cement/gypsum plaster is not in keeping with the existing.

5.15. Bedroom No. 3. This room will simply be given studwork to allow it to form a separate

bedroom.

5.16. Bathroom. The present empty room with damaged modern ceiling will be divided to provide a

general bathroom for the upper rooms.

5.17. Bedroom No.4. The present empty room with damaged modern ceiling will be repaired to

provide a bedroom.

5.18. Store. The store will be used to accommodate an emergency generator.




ROOF

5.19. We will be reproofing the entire building and taking the opportunity to insert a geo-textile membrane over and insulation between the rafters. Insulation will also be fixed below rafters.

Justifications: – The stone slate roof covering is in poor condition and needs urgent attention.

It would be sensible to insert a membrane and insulation at this point.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

6. Ground Source Heat Pump to be laid in the ground between to the rear of the cottage. It will

be used to heat under floor heating to all ground floor rooms.

MATERIALS 7. New plaster, bedding, pointing

7.1. All new mortar/plaster used for repairs to existing damaged internal plasterwork and for new

plasterwork within the original house will be three coat lime plasters using a fat lime. All

mortar for bedding and building up of walls will be done using a moderately hydraulic lime (NHL 3.5) mixed with local coarse sharp aggregate to a proportion of between 1:2 and 1:3. The

mortar will be given trials to find a suitable match to existing in strength, colour, and size

grading and finished texture.

7.2. New partition walls will be constructed in treated softwood and fitted with insulation and plasterboard.

Justification - The existing structure has been constructed and covered with lime-based

mortars and plasters so where we are repairing we will be use like for like. The use of

traditional mortars and plasters will allow the walls to behave and breathe as they have always done.

BUILDING CONTROL CONSIDERATIONS

8. South Lakeland District Council are being consulted as to the degree of necessary compliance

with current building regulations. a. All new plumbing work to comply with current standards.

b. All new bathrooms will be fitted with necessary extract fans to provide sufficient air

changes.

c. All electrical work to comply with current NICEIC standards.

SUMMARY 9. The building has always been used for domestic accommodation and will return to this after

only a short break. The change of use is a technical issue which will have no physical impact

on the building.

9.1. The physical alterations to the existing fabric are minimal and the repairs have been necessitated through previous neglect.

9.2. In doing this work we can provide a realistic use for the building, which will deliver it from

dereliction, guarantee is maintenance for the future and provide a single dwelling.



PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD

NORTH EAST GABLE SHOWING EXTERNAL SOIL PIPE

NORTH WEST (REAR) ELEVATION SHOWING POOR ROOF COVER CONDITION




PART REMOVAL OF CEMENT POINTING (DARK AREAS)

INTERNAL JOINT SHOWING LINE OF EARLIER WINDOW, TO BE POSITION OF INTENDED NEW ‘FIRE WINDOW’



SOUTHEAST (FRONT) ELEVATION. EARLIER WINDOWS CAN BE SEEN OVER MODERN CASEMENT ‘SASHES’

DINING ROOM WINDOW DETAIL. HEAD, JAMBS AND PART OF CILL TO BE USED FOR REBUILD TEMPLATES




ALTERED POSITION OF TRUSS. MODERN CEILING STRUCTURE

ORIGINAL STONE CHAMFERED WINDOW WITH SQUINTED REVEALS.

design & access statement rev a - scale gill foot cottage....

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