condition survey - · pdf filecondition survey coalville • war memorial clock tower north...

condition surveycoalville • war memorial clock tower

north west leicestershire district council

date of inspection: 24 june 2016

revised: 26 august 2016

p e t e r rog a n & a s s o c i a t e s l i m i t e d c o a l v i l l e w a r m e m o r i a l c l o c k t o we r • c o n d i t i o n r e p o r t 2 0 1 6 • 2

I introduction

1.1 A survey and report of the condition of the building fabric of the War Memorial Clock Tower at Coalville.

Inspected by: Peter Rogan BA DipArch(Leics) PGDip ACIOB MCIAT AABC RIBA

Date of inspection: 24 June 2016

Date of previous inspection: Not known

Previous inspection by: Not known

Weather during inspection: Dry and fine

Listed Building Status: Grade II

Conservation Area Status: No

Description/Historical Background: Coalville War Memorial, also known locally as the Clock Tower, was unveiled in 1925. It is a Grade II listed building and is the largest memorial in the district. The clock tower has a stone top and main shaft faced with Staffordshire multi-coloured bricks in cement. A clock is set at top of each face with stone laurel leaves carved around them. The memorial bears the names of those who lost their lives whilst serving in the First World War from 1914 to 1918 and World War II from 1939 to 1945. In 2014 two new memorial stones were installed alongside the clock tower, to locally remember men and women who have lost their lives whilst serving in the armed forces since 1945.

2 scope of the report

2.1 This report follows a visual inspection of the fabric only. None of the structure was opened up and it therefore cannot be said that there are no hidden faults. Recommendations for subsequent opening up are made where appropriate. The inspection was undertaken from ground level, from internal floor platforms and the roof.

2.2 The report is not intended as a specification of works, nor should it be used as such. The report is restricted to the general condition of the building and its defects. However, where possible, the report contains helpful comments on the causes, effects and likely remedial works, where this is possible or appropriate. The information given is intended simply as a guide to repair, and is based purely on the visual inspection and the consideration given during that inspection.

2.3 Whilst every care is taken during the inspection to note all present or foreseeable problems, and recommendations are made to overcome or obviate them, problems can, and very often do, occur during the years between professional inspections. It is, therefore, prudent for those responsible for the maintenance and management of the structures to carry out regular visual inspections of the fabric. It is recommended that there be inspection and cleaning of roof outlets etc. on at the least an annual basis by an experienced builder.

2.4 With the exception of any routine or like-for-like repairs, any alterations or major repair works are likely to need Listed Building Consent.

2.5 The electrical installation should be tested at least every 5 years by a registered NICEIC electrician, and a


resistance and earth continuity test should be obtained on all circuits. The engineer’s test report should be kept with the log book. This present report is based upon a visual inspection of the main switchboard and of certain sections of the wiring selected at random, without the use of instruments.

2.6 A lightning protection system is installed. BS EN 62305 recommends annual testing of lightning protection systems.

2.7 Since October 2006 previous fire safety legislation has been replaced by the Fire Safety Order. This new legislation applies to all non-domestic premises. It requires those with responsibility for the management of premises to appoint a responsible person to consider fire safety issues, undertake fire risk assessments and ensure the implementation of recommendations to ensure the safety of building users in the event of fire.

2.8 It is a requirement of the Health & Safety Executive all those responsible for the care and maintenance of all non-domestic buildings to have an Asbestos Management Plan to manage and minimise risks from exposure to asbestos and asbestos-containing materials. This survey does not intend to identify the location of any asbestos, nor advise on the management of asbestos.

2.9 Under the Equalities Act (formerly the Disability Discrimination Act) people with disabilities have the right to access the same services and facilities that are available to able bodied people. Since October 2004 this has included the requirement to make changes to remove physical barriers but this does not remove the requirement to obtain any necessary consents such as Listed Building Consent or Planning Permission.

2.10 This report does not constitute a health & safety audit. Those responsible for the management of the site may wish to undertake a health and safety audit or risk assessment in accordance with the recommendations of their insurers.

3 condition report: war memorial clock tower

Exterior

3.1 Tower east face

3.1.1 Base is of reconstituted stone blocks with swept offset to the top; the centre block is large and has a fracture to the bottom southern corner; there are the remains of 3 wall plugs in the lower edge. Some staining from run off from the granite plaque above and a piece of insert evident in the middle of the upper edge. Two side top stones of the plinth have cast-in guttae, all of the blocks appear to be of reconstituted stone. As seen elsewhere, these probably contain a degree of reinforcement, evidence of patching to the bottom southern plinth corner block.

3.1.2 Fixed to the front of the plinth is a modern timber rail with metal brackets bolted into lower plinth stonework and then there is a protruding step. The lower timber rail is painted black, as are the brackets, currently in a good condition. It is not known if the bolts are stainless steel or not, fixed into the stonework. No obvious signs of settlement in the plinth, although perhaps just a faint indication of distortion towards the southern end with a slight opening of fine joints. The plinth step has dropped a little bit in the past, particularly towards the northern end; at this point the concrete has fallen away by about 25mm under the weight of the tower.

Above: Tower east face, general view.


3.1.3 Above the plinth in the centre is a granite plaque with names G – P of the fallen of the First World War. The plaque appears to be inset into the brickwork, depth not clear but approx. 3” perhaps thicker but certainly recessed into the brickwork. Across the top of the plaque is a reconstituted stone capping/weathering, the joints are open and the capping has bowed upwards with a large centre piece lifted and the two sides sloping upwards to meet it. The distortion is probably caused by settlement of the tower with less settlement to the centre section because of the presence of windows sending the load to the corners and creating some tensions within the tower.

3.1.4 The super structure to the tower is of brick built generally in English bond but with a number of rebates and returns and two central fins, which are aligned with the window mullions extending more or less full height of the tower. Above the lower window on the south side and slightly to the north side there is a vertical crack in the brickwork running for about 6 courses, this is probably caused by settlement of the tower in its early days. The crack does not appear to be significant now.

3.1.5 Above the lower window heads there are tile creasing hood moulds to throw water off, the window frames appear to date from repairs in 2007, hardwood, stained brown in the past – some attention to the stain and resealing around the edges of the windows would be desirable, glazing appears to be flat sheets of glass. There is a blue brick cill to the window with above it a timber cill to the window frame. There are two holes drilled through the blue brick cills below the centre window, possibly for old cabling. Below the lower part of the window are blue brick cantered offsets creating a sloping cill, some need for some pointing to the lower brickwork. There is some distortion and misalignment of one brick in the mullion. The joint to the lower concrete offset above the lower War Memorial need to be filled with mastic to exclude water. Ideally a lead weathering would be installed in this location but this would suffer from theft and because of the bowing and distortion of the concrete offsets zinc or stainless steel probably would not work.

3.1.6 Above the lower window at a distance of 1.3m there is a metal bracket holding a hanging basket, the bracket appears to be fairly new, there is a watering system for the hanging basket with apparatus fixed to the brickwork. At high level there is a further possibly stainless steel hook fixed into the brickwork.

3.1.7 Generally the brickwork is in good condition up to the level of the upper window, again a set of 3 windows with brick mullions between. Especially in the northern mullion but applies to both of the mullions, where the 2nd or 3rd brick down from top is misaligned to the northern mullion, this is again probably due to distortions and settlement in the early days of the structure

Above: Minor crack in reconstituted plinth brick. Below:

Plinth and steps, east side. Bottom: Super structure of the

tower, east side.


and movement is now finished.

3.1.8 The upper windows have old leaded glass, the southern panel appears to have been re-leaded in the past, the central and northern panels still appear to be old leading. The frames appear to have been renewed, again stained probably hardwood outer frames and cills below which is a soldier course and then blue brick offsets. Above the windows are tile creasing courses to help throw off water. There is an opening joint to each side of the window head extending into the brickwork, probably caused by imbedded ironwork possibly from internal platforms, or perhaps a concealed shelf angle to support the outer brickwork over the windows, which is jacking up the brickwork above. The corrosion of the steelwork needs to be addressed and then the external joint pointed up with an appropriate mortar mix.

3.1.9 At high level is the clock face and then the clock stonework, again of reconstituted stone. Open joints to the coping stones at the top need to be filled and there is a fracture to the northern corner in the parapet capping stone, which needs to be possibly pinned or certainly checked by a steeplejack. Some of the joints to the upper stonework, particularly to the middle of the parapet walling are starting to erode and some patch repointing will be needed.

3.1.10 The surround to the clock face is of interlinking leaf design, some staining to the lower edge from water run off from the clock face but basically satisfactory. Simple stone blocks to each corner extend outwards in a corbel detail. The clock face is of an iron frame with white glass infill, it appears to be in good order at the moment and has possibly been refurbished at some point in the not too distant past, either when the clock mechanism was replaced in 1987 or subsequently.

3.1.11 To each lower corner in the tower at the angles of the returns of the outer buttresses are metal flagpoles with brackets at 3 levels extending back into brickwork and then extending down to the outer step at low level. There has been a previous flagpole arrangement with the remains of a bronze fixing cast into the stonework. The flagpoles at the moment seem to be satisfactory, but possibly copper dowels have been used to attach the whole into the brickwork as there is some green staining.

3.2 Tower south face

3.2.1 Again, a reconstituted stone plinth, the lower step has sagged on the concrete and dropped by about 75mm, the lowest at its centre, extending upwards towards each corner but still dropped full width by at least 75mm exposing the foundation engineering brick. The plinth stonework is generally in satisfactory condition but there is one open joint to the curving

Above: Gap in mortar joint and spall to edge of concrete

block. Below: Granite plaque. Bottom: Opening joint at

high level on the tower.


offset underneath the memorial plaque, timber battens have been fitted at 3 levels, in 2 places using metal brackets into the plinth stonework. It is not known if the fixings are stainless steel or not into the concrete/reconstituted stone. There is one exposed rebar in the concrete block behind the timber batten towards the eastern corner, the rebar is set only about 12-15mm behind the face of the concrete.

3.2.2 The granite plaque above the plinth contains the names A – F of the dead of the First World War and appears to be solidly fixed and again it is set into the brickwork. There are cast guttae beneath the corners of the plaque cast into the upper offsets of the plinth detail. As for the east elevation, the centre weathering/cap stone to the plaque has lifted or rather the 2 side sections have dropped due to the settlement of the tower. Filling of the open joints as a result of this is required.

3.2.3 The 3 lower windows of the superstructure again have single sheets of glass generally stuck-on leading set into a modern hardwood frame. The stain finish to the frames are starting to fail and some re-sealing at the back of the frames might be required. The brick mullions on this elevation appear to be in reasonable condition - tile creasing detail to the heads of the windows with the centre window having a bit of a damaged outer creasing tile. Hanging basket above with watering mechanism on a metal bracket fixed into the brickwork. Brick fins and buttress detail as to the east elevation extends up full height, there is a fracture in the western panel about mid-height extending up for about 10 bricks, again probably associate with settlement stresses within the tower and not now significant. Some fractures/damage to the lower bricks just at the level of the top of the overhang/offset to the memorial plaque on the west side and one or two of the bricks have slightly lost their face but the main problem is the lifting of the brick course at the level of the head of the upper windows - again, embedded ironwork is probably the cause of this and creating jacking within the upper super structure. There is also some misalignment of brickwork to the south side of the upper windows.

3.2.4 The upper windows are of old leading in newer timber windows and viewed from below and all in reasonable condition but re-staining of the timberwork is required in due course.

3.2.5 At high level the superstructure is of reconstituted stone, interlinking leaf detail around the clock face, which has a yellow/white glass infill matching the east elevation. The clock face appears to have been refurbished in the past and is currently in satisfactory order as far as can be seen.

3.2.6 Upper reconstituted stonework, open joints to the coping stones needs to be pointed up and some other weathered joints

Above: General view of the south side of the tower. Below:

Steps to the south face with dishing to podium. Second

below: Jacking up of the centre cap due to settlement at

corners. Bottom: South and east upper faces.


at high level would benefit from pointing up. As for the east elevation there are flag poles fixed back into the brickwork in the recesses to each corner.

3.3 Tower north face

3.3.1 A reconstituted stone plinth with curving top, both lower corners fractured to the centre curving offset stone and signs of a crack extending through the plinth stonework about 1/3rd distance from the western corner. Again, the lower stonework generally concealed by 3 timber battens, 2 fixed with metal brackets back into reconstituted stonework. Some distortion and dropping of the lower steps associated with the settlement of the concrete paving, particularly on the west side but less dramatic than seen on the other sides of the tower.

3.3.2 The centre stone above the granite plaque has again lifted slightly as the outer corners have actually settled but again not as obvious as seen on the south and east sides, although the joints to the offset units need to be pointed up to exclude water. The granite plaque records names P – Y of the dead of the First World War and generally in good condition and set into the brickwork with cast-in guttae to each lower corner into the plinth stonework.

3.3.3 The lower windows again of single panes of glass with applied leading and again holes drilled under the centre cill, probably from old cables. Slight loss of stain finish to the replacement outer timber frames, the tile creasing detail above the eastern window is more damaged. Similar buttress and fin detail to the English bond brickwork to the tower superstructure extending up to the higher level windows, again old leading but set into modern frames, which appear to be satisfactory other than the need for re-staining in the foreseeable future. Again, at window head detail in the brickwork there are signs of the jacking of the superstructure with an open joint forming. The rusting of the ironwork needs to be resolved and any open joint pointed up. The repointing of the coping stones at high level will be required and some open joints in the reconstituted stone of the upper parapet and recesses is needed.

3.3.4 The clock face appears to be in good order with yellow/white glass set into a cast frame, interlinking leaf detail to the surrounding reconstituted stonework. Slight staining to the bottom edge due to the water run off from the clock face.

3.4 Tower west face

3.4.1 Contains the entrance door to the tower, lower plinth of reconstituted stone with some signs of settlement of the concrete paving around causing a gap of about 15mm but the steps themselves have dropped comparatively little. Reconstituted stone step to the tower, some signs of hair

Above: Tower from the north. Below: North side tower base.

Second below: Displacement of plaque capstone. Bottom:

Top of the tower, north side.


fractures vertically running through the step and possibly across the top disguised by algal growth. Reconstituted stonework generally to the plinth with curving top to the offset and casting guttae to two short granite panels to each side of the door. Simple timber rail at one height, low level and fixed with mild steel brackets.

3.4.2 To the step on the north side of the plinth an exposed re-inforcing bar of about 8” in length, inset only approx. 8mm below the surface of the stone. To the south side of the door failure of the reconstituted stone surface, which has been patched in the past with a coloured mortar but with further fractures evident at full height against the frame and a more significant area of failure along the line of the top of the plain stone beneath the curved capping stone almost certainly caused by corroding reinforcement in the concrete blocks.

3.4.3 The granite plaques are set into the brickwork and exposed sides to each side of the doorway, basically these appear to be in good condition. The reconstituted stone weathering above the doorway and the granite blocks have not distorted in the same way as on other elevations, probably due to the presence of the doorway, which has meant that each corner of the tower has settled without any comparative up-thrust from this centre part of the foundation. Nevertheless, there are some open joints in the weatherings and these need to be pointed up.

3.4.4 The brickwork above contains the lower windows, which again are stick-on leading to plain pieces of glass, hardwood frames, which have been stained dark in the past but the mastic seal around the edge of the window and the stain finish are starting to fail. Creasing tile detail above the windows and blue brick canted offsets to the cills, holes drilled beneath the centre window for cables in the past that are now removed. To each side of the doorway there are some old fixings in the brick buttress, now redundant it seems, a hanging basket on a metal bracket about 1.3m above the lower windows with a watering mechanism.

3.4.5 The superstructure is generally of English Bond brickwork with centre fins forming mullion to the windows and outer corner buttresses of clasping type. Brickwork generally seems in good condition except to the head of the upper windows where a joint is starting to open and there is one out of position brick towards the north side, again caused by jacking from embedded ironwork.

3.4.6 The top parapet is from reconstituted stone, again some open joints need pointing up and the open joints to the coping stones needs pointing.

3.4.7 The clock face generally seems to be in a good condition with

Above: Door in the west tower face. Below: Exposed

reinforcement in step. Second below: Patched jamb to

doorway. Bottom: West clock face.


yellow/white glass, interlinking leaf design to the outer frame in reconstituted stone.

3.5 Plinth to Tower Base

3.5.1 Around the base of the tower is a concrete podium, the podium generally has settled and cracked around the full perimeter of the tower due to the weight of the tower and settlement. This has caused ponding around the tower base and to try and alleviate this drainage channels have been cut into the concrete in the middle of each top step with further drainage channels formed to each of the angles/facets of the tower. The plinth has also cracked extensively, particularly on the south side where the concrete is now very crazed and will allow water to seep into the foundations; this could exacerbate the rate of settlement as soil is washed away gradually. The concrete will have failed both due to the fact that it is cast as a continuous ring, so not allowing for any movement, but has also settled due to the settlement of the tower under its own weight. The outer ring of reconstituted stone step around the base of the tower, which is generally bedded onto the concrete surface, has also therefore dropped.

3.5.2 The steps to each side of the tower have also generally cracked along the centres but with a number of vertical cracks or fractures evident in the concrete work.

3.5.3 Because of the degree of fracturing of the concrete and the fact that water is tending to run back towards the tower and water will be seeping into the foundations, generally the upper ring of concrete needs to be renewed – this could be again in concrete or could be resurfaced in stone. Likewise the lower steps are probably so fractured and the degree of disturbance from recasting the upper step will be such that the entire step concrete structure probably would be best removed. Some investigation to check how the forming of the foundations of the side wall may be required just to ensure that these do not have to be rebuilt as a consequence, ie check the depth and nature of the foundations to make sure that the walls are fully independent of the paving.

3.5.4 The option of installing new paving on top of the existing concrete base does exist, stone pavers could be bedded onto the existing concrete, this being treated as a base and foundation provided that any new stonework has falls away from the tower and drains correctly and consists probably of sawn sandstone blocks, tightly jointed and joints filled, again to ensure that no water seeps downward and instead drains outward.

3.5.5 The top step could be fully paved with sandstone, the door threshold to the tower is sufficiently high so as not to be a problem, the lower step to the tower could either be re-bedded

Above: Central drainage channel, cracking to concrete.

Below: Cracking in concrete due to tower settlement.

Second below: North side of podium. Bottom: Rear of

south east plinth.

p e t e r rog a n & a s s o c i a t e s l i m i t e d c o a l v i l l e w a r m e m o r i a l c l o c k t o we r • c o n d i t i o n r e p o r t 2 0 1 6 • 1 0

on the new stone or the new stone paving could be abutted up to the side after the original steps have been re-levelled around the tower base. New treads could also be installed to each of the lower steps; this might cause a problem with the lowermost step and this could be cut out and replaced with a piece of stone flush with paving.

3.5.6 To each facet/corner of the podium there is a raised granite wall with reconstituted stone capping, this was extended upwards after the Second World War when the names of those who died in the Second World War were added, each consists of general walling of local granite, pointed with cementitious ribbon pointing. Reconstituted stone tops incorporate light fittings and have a chase/rebate detail to the top coping stones. The walls are approximately 2 feet wide, capping stones do show signs of fracturing over the lower edges and generally and if any significant attempt was made to re-bed them it is likely that a number of them would break up and be lost. As with other reconstituted stonework it is possible that the reconstituted stone elements contain reinforcing bars.

3.5.7 The rear faces of all of the walls appear to have been repointed more recently in a paler cementitious mortar, possibly in association with the cutting out of rebates for floodlights, which have now since been removed. There was a floodlight to each facet cut rather crudely into the granite stonework and the infilling of these pockets with new granite might improve the appearance unless there are any plans to reinstall new floodlights.

3.5.8 To the rear faces of the walls generally the ribbon pointing is still in generally satisfactory order except for a few sections of low level walling. The pointing is ugly and technically incorrect but the hard granite can survive the degradation that other stonework would suffer if incorrect pointing is used. The front faces again have ribbon pointing of an earlier date but a few bits of patching evident. The granite plaque is similar in style to those on the main tower and record those who died in the Second World War with a granite kerb introduced with flowerpot type tops to receive flowers in commemoration of the dead.

3.5.9 When looking in detail at the cast stonework some areas are quite significantly fractured and the lifespan may becoming limited, any attempt to patch repair is likely to exacerbate the problem and so if any stones are lifted they may fall apart owing to the internal fractures. The pointing to the outer face is generally still sound but there are one or two areas of making good desirable, which needs to be carried out carefully in a similar ribbon style to avoid the need to repoint the entire structure. Notably some sections of pointing are missing on the south east facet front face and there are open joints to the

Above: South east podium wall. Below: Detail of typical

podium plaque. Second below: Recess for now missing

flood light. Bottom: Detail of concrete capping.


coping stones.

3.6 Remembrance Garden

3.6.1 To the north of the tower to the southern edge a stone retaining wall of a height of approx. 800mm, facing of granite with fairly old ribbon pointing, which is just starting to fail in a number of places but patch pointing would probably suffice in making this good. To the top of the wall there are 2 strips of reconstituted stone capping with a centre raised hump of insitu concrete with embedded gravel – a slightly odd detail but having weathered down appears to be satisfactory generally but one or two open joints between capping units would benefit from be repointed to prevent water ingress into the wall top.

3.6.2 Set behind the wall are 3 large blocks of granite with polished black granite inset panels, one installed in 1996 and two further in 2014 and recording the names of people who have died since the Second World War in active service. These granite blocks are set in granite cobbles, which generally seem to be in a reasonable condition at present.

3.6.3 The western retaining wall extends and slopes downwards towards the north end, falling in height from 800mm down to about 400mm, again with the two strips of capping and central hump of concrete and again vertical joints to perpends between capping units would benefit from pointing up to prevent water ingress. The pointing to the street face is old and needs at least some patch pointing, the extent of failure is such that it may be worth considering on this elevation full repointing of the wall. The back of the wall against the garden is also in need of repointing fairly more urgently and this would help stop water ingress from the garden area into the core of the wall. The wall ends in a raised pier, again in reconstituted stone capping and the pier would benefit from some repointing.

3.6.4 The eastern edge of the garden again has a retaining wall sloping down to a height of about 300mm with an end square pier with concrete paving slab type capping. The top of the wall generally consists of two lengths of reconstituted stone edging with humped concrete infill to the middle. The outer face is ribbon pointed with some need for at least patch pointing. The rear face of the wall again needs some consolidation, also the back of the southern wall needs a certain amount of consolidation although only a limited height of about 100mm is visible.

3.6.5 The garden area is generally grass with a border of summer bedding plants, all of which appear to be neatly maintained at the time of the inspection. To the northern end of the garden there are two decorative trees; one is a cherry tree. The edge of the grass there is a raised kerb of granite cobbles, which all appears to be in a reasonable condition. There are some new

Above: South retaining wall to garden. Below: New plaques

on granite blocks. Second below: Garden, west wall.

Bottom: Rear of garden, east wall.


trees planted as part of the repaving of the market area, the trees appear to be beech trees and some are planted about 1.3m away from the retaining wall to the garden and in time tree roots may start to disturb the retaining wall. Whilst it is unlikely that any tree is near enough to the tower to cause any long term problems the tree nearest the north east corner might need to be monitored in this respect if it is allowed to become very large. There is still some possibility that the tree could affect the stability underneath the tower.

3.6.6 Between the garden and around the tower generally there is modern paving, laid c.2000 consisting of Marquis Tegular or similar, which generally is in a satisfactory condition at present. The length of the paving against the steps of the podium are not entirely consistent and this will need to be considered as part of any renewal of the steps to the base.

Internal

3.7 Base Level

3.7.1 The floor/base is of insitu concrete, there is a straight joint around the threshold of the outer door. Around the bottom of the fixed ladder there is some breaking up of the concrete surface and there is a slight sign of a crack across the floor leading from the corner of the ladder, otherwise the floor appears to be in a satisfactory condition.

3.7.2 Within the tower there is a plastic upvc downpipe, 3” in diameter and extending full height but extending into a 4” cast iron pipe at low level. There is no access fitting at the base of this pipe for inspection. The plastic pipe appears to be a bit undersized and there is some staining at low level in the brickwork to the back of the downpipe suggesting leakage from a joint. Upgrading of this pipe to a 4” pipe generally is recommended, the installation of an access fitting and a cctv inspection of the drain is also recommended to ensure that it is in satisfactory condition.

3.7.3 Lightning conductor tape is fixed alongside the plastic downpipe generally. Walls to the lower section of the tower are generally brick in English Bond, some slight erosion/spalling of the brick face generally but not of any significance at present. Brick arch detail above the access door and some of the mortar to the perpends is starting to wash out and some salting across the top of the arch, probably from water penetration from the deep weathering above the door externally. Various cables are installed around the walls with fuse boxes and incoming main on the south wall, no sign of any test certificate or the electrical system and the system should ideally be tested every 5 years. There is a tube heater beneath the electrical system panel presumably to provide background heat to stop any condensation forming.

Above: View of the tower north side seen from the garden.

Below: Tower base concrete floor. Bottom: Recently installed LED lighting controller.


3.7.4 There is a wooden cupboard against the north wall, which contains the clock control mechanism and again there is a tubular heater inside this cupboard and again the electrical system should be checked every 5 years.

3.7.5 There is an enclosure for the clock controller with the last inspection carried out in May 2016, the clock is maintained by G D Armitage, Clock and Belfrywork Ltd of Husbands Bosworth. The clock maintenance record is very thorough and the clock appears to be well maintained.

3.7.6 There is evidence of a new covered lighting type circuit recently installed but again no obvious test certificate for any new wiring.

3.7.7 Inside of the lower windows there are new stainless steel plates installed above each of the windows in each side, the plates about 3/8th inch thick by 2 ½ inch wide supporting the brick infill above the windows. The Statement of Significance suggests that these were installed when the windows were renewed in 2007 and it was presumably established that the infill brickwork was supported by the window frames only. The rear of the window frames generally appear to be in reasonable condition, the beading is screw fixed to the back of the later panels. There is a slight crack in the centre arch above the western window, which does not appear to be significant and the brick arches generally seem to be in a satisfactory condition.

3.7.8 Supporting the lower platform there are two RSJs built into the north and south walls, some evidence of recent repointing around the beam ends and there may have been some movement or jacking at this level in the past. The western beam is set at an angle to allow for the downpipe in the corner. The beams have comparatively modern paintwork and seem to be in satisfactory condition. The landing platform is of timber with a batten light fitting, which is not working, fixed to the underside of the central beam. Other aspects of the platform seem satisfactory, the trimmers have traditional joints and all appear to date from the original construction. This appears to concur with paragraph 1.5 of the Statement of Significance.

3.7.9 The access ladders appear original, quite rusted but painted and still in a satisfactory condition generally. To the lower ladder two additional mid-brackets have been installed in stainless steel bolted into the brickwork, which seems to be in a good condition.

3.7.10 At first landing height there is an offset in the brickwork of 4”, to the edge of the platform there is a modern key-clamp type railing system. Tongue and groove boarding on the platform appears satisfactory at the moment. The brickwork internally at this level all seems to be in satisfactory condition, bond

Above: Electrical distribution equipment. Below: Internal

view of the tower. Bottom: UPVC downpipe with staining to

adjoining brickwork.


generally at this point is affected by external detailing and so the bond varies with a mixture of headers, stretchers and all fairly random.

3.8 Tower Lantern Level

3.8.1 General walkway of timber boards on timber joists supported by edge beams of steel, some water staining and decay of boards around the downpipe position. Two large cut outs from boards, possibly for old cords to do with the clock mechanism and several others around the floor generally have weakened the floor boards and these need to be replaced and strengthened for safety to stop people putting their foot through the floor and likewise any rotten boards need to be replaced.

3.8.2 Walls at this level are generally white washed or white painted, the paint finish is peeling generally and would benefit from renewal. Clear signs of problems around the tops of the windows, the support beams to the upper level have been replaced in the past and there is some new cement patching to each corner where the beams have been put in. It may be that the old beams had rusted and caused the jacking seen everywhere externally and to an extent internally. Also some open joints to brickwork and one or two misaligned bricks around the tops of the windows, particularly in the east and west faces. The top brick to the mullions have fractured and this is probably because the load from the inner concrete lintel, which is distributed onto the backs of the mullions only causing some differential loading. Some strengthening of the brickwork with the introduction of metal ties etc at this level may be required and probably at the advice of a structural engineer. Some distortion may be associated with the previously removed steel beams, which may well have rusted and caused the jacking, as noted above.

3.8.3 Around the edge of the central opening, which probably once contained the clock weights, is a metal guarding. It may be helpful though to infill the central opening and board over the floor completely to improve access.

3.8.4 Behind each set of windows there is an LED type strip light to provide colour effects. A wooden ladder leads up to the upper inner chamber. The inside of the ceiling is of t+g board generally with a set of new boards across the back of the east elevation. Joists generally seem in good condition but there is water staining and rotten board ends again around the downpipe position and a section of plywood infill against the north wall. An old metal access ladders leads up to the upper chamber level, which has been reinforced with a new stainless steel strap.

3.9 Upper Intermediate Platform

3.9.1 Generally as described for the lower platform, supported by

Above: Staining to underside of clock chamber board-

ing. Below: Patching where new support beam has been

installed, also misaligned brick to mullion. Second below:

Ladder access. Bottom: LED striplights within lantern level.


metal beams across the width of the tower north/south with joists running east/west and boarding to a third of the width of the tower interior only. Generally all parts seem satisfactory and metal handrails to the platform edge seem satisfactory.

3.10 Clock Chamber Level

3.10.1 The original clock mechanism is now removed and each face is now driven by electrical clock mechanisms, one supported on a metal horizontal bar to each face. The rear of the clock faces generally seem to be in a good condition. The floor of the chamber is of t+g boarding generally with two areas of patching, one of plywood and one of wide boards, some rot to boards around the downpipe where there is overflow from one of the joints. There is leakage from the hopper detail running down the branch pipe on the north side. There are two outlets, one to the north east and one to the north west corner and the downpipe is in the north west corner with a horizontal branch pipe in plastic supported by a makeshift piece of timber wedged in with the clock support bar to support the pipe mid-distance. Water is running onto this timber bracket and causing its decay and running beyond the timber and down the pipe full length. The gulley and outlet need to be resealed and ideally larger gullies provided and downppipes.

3.10.2 The ceiling is the underside of the roof structure generally, the gutter runs along the north side and then all is supported by joists running east/west supported at each end by steel beams built into the walls. The ends of the beams are starting to rust, notably in the south eastern corner.

3.10.3 Walls generally are of whitewashed brick, the clocks have a full circle brick arch running 360 degrees, there is staining to each of the clock recesses with mould and algal growth and a lot of moss growth on the south side suggesting water ingress. On the north, east and west faces the bottom damp might be formed by condensation running off the rear of the glass of the clock faces and there could be a bit of a humidity problem in the clock chamber and some ventilation may need to be introduced. There are also cracks to the tops of the arches on the north and south sides in particular, slightly in the east side. Above the top of the brick arches disguised by paint there are a series of concrete voussoirs, which bridge the top of the arch, probably designed to take away some of the thrust.

3.10.4 Signs of water ingress from the roof and affecting the timbers on the back of the south wall causing streaking on the brickwork and probably contributing to the moss growth. On the floor there is algal growth on the boarding, again due to water run off from this leak.

3.10.5 To the underside of the centre of the ceiling is a fixed plywood panel with new LED light fittings shining at the back of the

Top: Algal growth on base of clock aperture. Above: Leak

causing mould growth on boarding. Below: Leaks from the

south edge of the tower roof. Bottom: LED light to rear of

the clock faces.


clock faces.

3.11 Tower Roof

3.11.1 Access is from a raised hatch with side door, timber frame ledged and braced, generally in a good condition but paint just starting to peel on the frame. The frame sits within a brick housing, the side of the wall housing is 4” thick and there is some distortion in the brickwork with signs of an outward lean to the north and also bricks being forced open by the presence of two iron cramps near to the corner with the lower joint in particular now forced open by some considerable distance. This wall might need to be taken down and rebuilt. The lead cover to the top of the hatchway is nailed flat over the door, there is a little weathering to the top of the frame so the frame will probably start to rot and indeed on the southern corner the top of the vertical part of the frame is now decaying – the lead work needs to be renewed and done properly to help protect the brickwork and door frame.

3.11.2 The roof covering is largely covered by timber bearers associated with the flagpole fixing and the flagpole is fitted into the crossed set of timber bearers. The vertical tube and metal plate, which the grp flagpole sits into, is now rusting and needs to be repainted. Timber bearers appear to be still satisfactory at the moment but will in time rot and the redesign of the fixing along with the roof covering is probably sensible. The lead work to the roof covering is old, it appears to be laid with hollow rolls, which have distorted. There has been applications of sealants along the southern edge, which is the high point of the roof, but these sealants are now failing, probably associated with the water ingress seen internally. The upstand height is also fairly modest and the fall across the roof width is minimal so water is tending to sit in the middle of the roof.

3.11.3 Along the northern edge there is a lead lined gutter, fairly shallow with small outlets into the makeshift hoppers beneath. The gutter would benefit from being deepened and probably the entire roof structure needs some modest redesign to increase falls and to include provision for the flagpole.

3.11.4 The back of the parapets are generally reconstituted stone but with some bricks to the corners. There are some cracks evident and failing in a number of places, first of all where the beam spans across and supports the bell. In the west side there is significant jacking of the upper courses of stonework, probably due to thermal movement of the steel work, it being located externally. There is also fracturing of the concrete units that the beam is set into. There is also some diagonal cracking leading form the ends of the bearing of the beam in the east wall, however not as significant as in the west wall.

3.11.5 There is the sign of a crack in the reconstituted stonework

Above: Access hatch of ladder. Below: Chicken wire cover

to the tower top. Bottom: Base of access hatch, brickwork

twisting.


towards the north east corner of the parapet and one or two reconstituted stones are generally fracturing, eg behind the access door in the south wall. There is a timber beam at low level behind the parapet on the east and west walls covered with lead weathering to support low level beams, again with lead weathering spanning east/west, which the old clock hammer mechanism is fixed to. This mechanism has now been replaced by a new chiming mechanism underneath the bell itself.

3.11.6 The bell is hung dead on a steel beam spanning at high level across the parapet, as noted elsewhere, and the bell is supported on two curving brackets and bolted through the top of the bell. The bell itself is generally in a reasonable condition, it was cast by Taylors in 1925, the date is facing away from the access steps. The clock hammer mechanism is becoming rather rusty from the original clock mechanism, and there is rust on the bell support beam.

3.11.7 Across the tops of the parapets at high level there is a wooden framing with chicken wire on top to keep out birds. This chicken wire is starting to rust and there are some sharp edges where a small lift out hatch exists for the raising of flags. Around the top of the parapet coping stones there is a lightning conductor tape with spikes in each corner. There is only one tape running internally within the tower, this is cross linked to the bell support beam but is not cross bonded onto any of the lower beams within the tower. A second tape would be required to meet the current British Standard and cross bonding to all ironwork in the tower would probably be required.

3.11.8 The timber framing for the chicken wire is generally still in a satisfactory condition but is very exposed to the weather. Coping units to the tops of the main parapet generally all seem in a satisfactory condition but there are a few signs of hair cracks forming to corners of some units and the back edge where water drains off.

Above: Detail of the Taylor bell. Below: Rusting of the

beam supporting the bell. Second below: Chicken wire and

framing. Bottom: Some open joints to copings, lightning

conductor tape and spikes.


4 recommendations and summary

The tower has been constructed using reinforced concrete masonry units. Some visible evidence of reinforcement and concrete spalling was noted, but in all cases the reinforcement had very limited concrete cover.Specialist investigation and testing of the concrete is recommended to establish the typical configuration and condition of the concrete to inform whether failures represent isolated problems, or are indicative of progressive failure. This information is needed in order to plan future repairs. The tower has settled, and there has been some differential settlement since the presence of windows means that load is transferred to corners, and this has caused some cracking in the structure and also the settlement of the concrete paving around the base. Any settlement appears to be old and has probably stabilised. The paving and drainage at ground level needs improvement to ensure that the tower foundations are not compromised.

The roof drainage has been repaired on an ad-hoc basis but is leaking and needs improvement. The lead roof is leaking to the southern abutment, but is also laid virtually flat and the gutter detailing is poor. Ideally, the covering needs re-laying with greater falls to Lead Sheet Association recommendations with better detailing for the flagpole fixing, and forming catch-pits. The access hatch also needs repairs as the flanking brick wall has moved.

Steel beams within the tower have rusted in the past and some have been replaced, but those under the roof structure are rusted and need repair or replacement. All beam ends are built into brickwork with risk of future rusting and damage to masonry. Cathodic protection to steelwork might be considered. Thre may also be support angles over windows within the brickwork - there is ‘jacking’ of brickwork over the upper windows and further investigation/opening-up is required to check the cause.

Some timber boarding to floors needs replacement where affected by rot/damp, or weakened by cut-outs associated with the now-removed clock mechanism.

Improvements to the podium paving are required. This might include either breaking-out the existing concrete nd renewing whilst incorporating movement joints, or over-laying the existing base with new paving. If the former option is preferred then a test excavation should be carried out to establish how the podium walls are constructed to ensure that they would not be compromised by the breaking-out of the paving. The condition of some of the coping units to these podium walls appear potentially fragile - they seemingly contain various fractures.

The lightning protection system should be tested and some upgrading might be necessary - there appears to be only one conductor tape to ground level and no cross-bonding to metal structures within the tower.

Peter Rogan

BA DipArch(Leics) PGDipArchPrac ACIOB MCIAT AABC RIBA

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