Bishops Waltham Palace Southampton
For a significant range of works at the English Heritage site, Bishop's Waltham Palace, SWH offered core support and a hands-on approach, in light of the complex risks, whilst also acting in the role of Principal Designer.
Built and extended by the medieval Bishops of Winchester, Bishop’s Waltham Palace was a very lavish residence. Today, the ruins of a three-storey tower and a grand hall remain, but required extensive repairs and restoration works.
SWH acted as Principal Designer as well as undertaking site meetings, inspections and monitoring of a series of works, across different phases, which included:
- extensive masonry repairs
- rebuilding of elements of the tower
- mud clearance works,
- boundary wall treatment
- fencing of the larger site
- repairs to small towers and the perimeter walls
- capping of the walls
- vegetation removal from the Great Hall and Tower
These works required extensive scaffolding and working at height, including inspection and removals by abseiling and rope works, in preparation of the vegetation removal, for example.
The complex risks involved with the age and condition of the building and the scaffold design, managing the surrounding site and limited access, including keeping the site open to the public for the duration of the works, meant SWH had to provide a very hands-on approach, working closely with English Heritage and their chosen designers and contractors.
