Wooldale Hall, West Yorkshire:

Wooldale Hall is a grade II Listed privately owned Georgian property set in a rural village in the heart of the Holme Valley, West Yorkshire. This impressive sandstone residence complete with stone slate roof, was in a sorry state of repair and so its new owners were keen to give the Hall a new lease of life and embarked on an extensive external and internal conservation project, appointing William Anelay as principal contractor.

Water ingress had caused damage to the underlying roof structure, plaster and walls, therefore a temporary roof covering was erected, which allowed the property to thoroughly dry out and permitted conservation work to continue during inclement weather conditions. Water damage had contributed to the building’s structural instability and as a consequence, two elevations had to be dismantled and rebuilt, which was done using as much of the original masonry as possible. The owners were keen to ensure that as much of the original structure was retained and any new works were aesthetically in keeping with the original architectural design including new Georgian sash windows, shutter boxes, and re-plastering with traditional hair lime, lath and plaster. Roof slates were salvaged where possible and were complemented by new leadwork and rainwater goods.

The property benefited from full mechanical and electrical works throughout incorporating ‘green’ heat recovery technology and on the ground level, a new stone floor above under floor heating. The bathrooms and kitchen were refurbished to incorporate period fixtures and fittings. A green oak garage was built adjacent to the house and positioned within the curtlidge of the remains of a fifteenth century cruck barn. Hard and soft landscaping, new walls, vehicle turning areas and raised planting areas have also been formed to complement the refurbished house. The project was completed late summer 2010.