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Wall-top Inspection: North Yorkshire

English Heritage

In recent years, we have used UAVs to inspect and photograph a wide range of ancient monuments and heritage buildings – everything from Stonehenge to castles and stately homes. However, one of the services we are most often called upon to deliver involves wall-top inspections.

Many castles and similar structures have lost their roofs over the years, so the tops of walls are left exposed and unprotected. Frost damage and the growth of plants (and even small trees) can then cause damage to the upper parts of the remaining walls. This poses a problem for those responsible for their maintenance, because they are often very difficult to access and inspect.

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Heritage Survey: the Roman City of Silchester

English Heritage, Wessex Archaeology

Silchester in Hampshire may not be as well known as some other Romano-British settlements, but it is nevertheless a site of considerable interest to heritage specialists.

The city began in the 1st century BC as Calleva, the pre-Roman homeland of the Atrebates tribe. After the Roman conquest in 43 AD, it grew rapidly and was renamed Calleva Atrebatum. It was abandoned in the 6th or 7th century but, unusually, it was not reoccupied in the medieval period. As a result, no further construction took place and its remains have lain largely undisturbed. Many of the perimeter walls survive, as do parts of the city amphitheatre. In fact, it stands as one of the best preserved Roman towns in Britain. Continue reading “Heritage Survey: the Roman City of Silchester”

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Roof Inspection: 3D Modelling, Lancaster

C4 Consulting

We are seeing growing demand for building surveys, roof inspection projects and associated 3D modelling work. A recent project in Lancaster illustrates the services we are increasingly being asked to provide.

Set close to the town centre, Cable Street is a stone-built property comprising 3, 4 and 5-bed student flats. Designed by Richard Gillow in 1759, the building has considerable heritage value, though it has been repeatedly modernised and upgraded to maximise its appeal to the student market. Continue reading “Roof Inspection: 3D Modelling, Lancaster”

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Structural Survey: Canterbury Cathedral

Downland Partnership

Founded in 597 and rebuilt in 1077, Canterbury Cathedral is one of Britain’s oldest and best known ecclesiastical buildings. It is home to the Archbishop of Canterbury, it was the site of Thomas Becket’s murder, and it features in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. By any standards, the Cathedral is exceptionally rich in history and, indeed, it is part of a recognised World Heritage site. Continue reading “Structural Survey: Canterbury Cathedral”

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Aerial Survey of the Coupland Buildings

University of Manchester

The University of Manchester owns and manages many historic listed buildings and these include a notable collection on Coupland Street, where SUAVE was recently asked to conduct an extensive roof survey. Coupland 3, for example, was built in 1891 as part of the School of Medicine and, today, it’s a striking structure of brickwork, decorative masonry and spires. Continue reading “Aerial Survey of the Coupland Buildings”

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Middleham Castle, North Yorkshire

English Heritage

Situated in the scenic fields of Wensleydale, Middleham Castle was built in stages, beginning in 1190 – a year after Richard I took the English throne. It was the childhood home of Richard III and, briefly, a prison for King Edward IV. Today, though a ruin, it is still highly impressive and it remains a very popular tourist attraction. The castle – essentially a fortified palace – comprises the original 12th century Norman keep, a 13th century curtain wall, and a series of residential buildings added in the 15th century. Continue reading “Middleham Castle, North Yorkshire”