Wall End Barn Langdale

Tweddell and Slater first completed a structural survey due to movement noted in the cruck frames, both laterally and longitudinally. Due to significant displacement in the frames it was recommended that temporary works were installed to safeguard the structure from collapse, particularly due to the public highway adjacent to the gable wall (itself displaying signs of movement in distorted stonework). The dry wall construction meant that implementing the current Historic England guidance of restraining cruck frames using anchored cable stays was not feasible, due to any anchor points inducing local distortion in the stones. Therefore, we proposed to remove the roof finishes and realign the frames, strengthening or replacing decayed timbers and installing cable bracing to reduce the potential for future movement.

The removal of the apex of the frames in the 19th century removed the triangulation of the cruck frames and had allowed the individual rafters to move independently in both directions, which had become noticeable in roof and wall deformations and twisting of the timbers. We proposed to replace this triangulation by installing new oak bracing to the apex, cradling the ridge whilst maintaining the existing material so that the structure could be read appropriately in the future. Care was also taken to reuse as much of the existing material as possible, including the roof slates, rafters, masonry and maintaining the existing locations of peg connections to minimise interventions.

After the initial scheme had been approved by the National Park and whilst construction was ongoing, several vehicle collisions occurred at the corner of the roadside gable, distorting and moving large stones at the base of the wall. When prevention measures failed we were asked to provide a detail for repair and stitching of the corner using lime mortar and steel bars, to reduce future damage to the wall from vehicles.

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