Wingfield Barns is a listed building owned by Mid Suffolk District Council in which our Special Projects team carry out planned and reactive maintenance together with a yearly building condition report. The facility lies in the Waveney Valley, just inside the Suffolk border with Norfolk. It is a unique venue, centring around a beautifully restored timber framed barn, surrounded by studios and galleries. It is often used for sophisticated celebrations, conferences, education and training, art exhibitions, music and drama performances.
Over the past couple of years it had been noted that there was some slight movement in the roof of Wingfield Barns, which had accelerated due to the inclement weather over the recent winter. In consultation with our client, a decision was made to carry out a structural survey to ascertain the integrity of the roof structure and to identify a way forward to assist with stabilising the building and its front elevation wall which had started to bow under the stressed roof trusses.
As can be seen for the work in progress in the image below, scaffold has recently been erected to provide safe access and protection to the building during the dismantling of the roof. The works are being carried out in phases. The first phase involves stripping the roof tiles and inspecting the trusses and main structure. In partnership with our consultant, we are now working through the development of a structural design and repairs solution for approval by our client and the heritage authorities. Once agreed, the main work will proceed in close liaison with all parties to the requisite heritage standards and health and safety regulations.
