I am delighted to provide a reference for Heritage Conservation Restoration Ltd., who recently completed the £87,000 project at Grade II* Listed St. Bridget with St. Thomas, Wavertree, to a very high standard. This project included a complete refurbishment of the church’s rainwater goods, high level repointing, replacement of defective lead flashings, slating repairs and repairs to clerestory window frames, and was funded by the Listed places of Worship Roof Repair Fund.
I would have no hesitation in selecting this contractor in the future for any further work required.
Ian Simpson
Heritage Officer, Diocese of Liverpool
Heritage Conservation Restoration replaced part of our church roof. The standard of workmanship, the regard for health and safety, the understanding of heritage requirements was excellent and the company and workforce were flexible, responsive and imaginative when unexpected issues were identified during the course of the project. They worked hard to make sure that disruption to the life of the church was kept to a minimum. We would be very happy to engage them for future projects.
Rev D Penny
St Matthew’s Church, Chadderton
Early in 2016, Heritage Conservation Restoration, having been recommended by our architects, commenced work on the total renovation of our Victorian church’s East end. This involved the removal of the asbestos panelled ceiling, the removal of the 100 year-old dark oak staining from the original roof trusses & their re-staining with an Archdeacon’s” finish, the installation of new panels, & a new & much improved lighting system. The whole Chancel area was re-decorated & new carpeting laid. The completed work has resulted in comments such as “amazing”, “fantastic” & “breath-taking” from both church regulars & visitors alike – & is STILL, 10 months later – drawing compliments. As Churchwarden, I cannot praise Mick Goulding and his team enough. They were efficient, eminently capable, and even cleaned up after themselves! I now have plans to have more extensive work done within the church and hopefully will see Mick and his team again.
Hedley Richardson.
Churchwarden St. James’ Church, Gorton, Manchester
Heritage Conservation and Restoration recently completed a project of ours that involved extensive timber repairs to the roof structure of St Cuthbert’s Church in Kentmere, along with re-slating and replacement of the rainwater goods. The works to the grade 2 listed church were funded by the Listed Places of Worship Roof Repair Fund to a very strict time line and to exacting standards of quality. HCR were able to deliver the performance required and the entire team were a pleasure to work with throughout the site phase of the project. Their respect for the building, the surrounding rural area, the building users and local residents was exemplary. It is plain for all to see the very high level of craft skills the team possess which when allied with their understanding of heritage buildings and the need for sensitive working methods, makes HCR, in my opinion, one of the leading conservation specialists in the region. I would have no hesitation in working with them again, or for recommending them to others.
Mike Darwell
BA (Hons) BArch RIBA SCA AABC PDD (Building Cons.)
Architect / Director
In 2014 Clitheroe Civic Society (CCS) embarked on the first live project in their 50-year plus history. In the absence of funds from the Local Authority (Ribble Valley Borough Council) to carry out urgent repair works to a Grade II Listed monument in the Clitheroe Castle Gardens, CCS decided to step in and see if they could raise sufficient funds to carry out the works on behalf of RVBC – and the wider community. The monument came from the Palace of Westminster to Clitheroe in 1937 during the last major phase of fabric repair works there. It was a gift, to the then Borough of Clitheroe, from the town’s longest modern day member of Parliament, Sir William Brass, and was donated by him to commemorate the Coronation of King George VI.
After a twelve-month period of fund and awareness raising activities, CCS secured sufficient funds including an 89% HLF Heritage Lottery Fund award and we were ready to go out to tender on the Project. As a Conservation Architect and Project Team Leader I had previously worked with Michael Goulding on a number of Listed Churches in the Blackburn Diocese. This was prior to the formation of HCRL but when the company was brought to my attestation during the preparation of the Tender Invitation List I was keen to have his newly established firm tender for our project and I am pleased to say that they submitted the successful tender and were appointed as our Conservation Contractor for the works.
By comparison with many of the Projects I knew that Michael and his fellow Director and staff had worked on, the repair of the ‘Clitheroe Pinnacle’ was a very small contract indeed. However, the size of the monument belays its social and historic significance as it directly links our small East Lancashire Market Town to the national capital – and the ‘Mother of Parliament’s. Being constructed from Magnesian Limestone to designs by Sir Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin the project also presented some very significant technical problems.
As a condition of our HLF Award we were committed to ensuring that this project could also serve as an educational vehicle for craftsman training. We also wished to that during the works we achieve a greater awareness among the local community of the Pinnacle’s significance.
These conditions were taken on board enthusiastically and effectively by HCRL. From commencement to completion of the project a young apprentice stone mason was engaged throughout. He benefited from first-hand experience of working on a delicate and highly decorated masonry structure under expert supervision and our Society benefited from his skills and knowledge of working on Magnesian Limestone while training in York – where many of the city’s most important buildings, including the Minster, are constructed from the same material. This was particularly important on this project as this type of limestone is quite uncommon on this side of the Pennines.
Throughout the works HCRL accommodated numerous visits from interested School and University groups as well as members of the public and actively participated in an open day as a part of the 2015 ‘Heritage Open Day’ initiative. The works were meticulously planned and executed and were also completed on time and under budget. The latter was much to the relief of our Members for whom this was a first venture into the world of project management and financial administration.
Whether our Society undertakes a similar venture in the future remains to be seen but if we do we would ensure that HCRL were on the tender list and commend their services to any groups or organisations contemplating work to repair and conserve our historic buildings and monuments.
Steve Burke Dip Arch (Oxf’d) Conservation Architect
Clitheroe Civic Society Pinnacle Project Team Leader
Now that the roof repairs have been completed, I want to thank you and your colleagues for the professional and workmanlike manner in which the contract was executed. As you were a relatively new company, you are aware that we initially had some concerns about you being able to demonstrate your ability to undertake the work and to properly finance it. Whilst we were right to be initially cautious about these issues, your performance with both the work content and your cooperation throughout, completely dispelled any concerns and we are pleased that you were awarded the contract. May I ask you, on our behalf, to thank James for his willingness to price the additional works in an economic manner. Would you also pass on our appreciation to Jason for his expertise with the lead work and the way he organised and managed to day to day operations. Should you require a reference from us in the future, as to your ability to undertake work of a similar nature elsewhere, I would have no hesitation in providing one for you.
Ivan Leigh
Chair of St Paul’s Church Astley Bridge Building Group
The Cathedral Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, Blackburn was pleased to award Heritage Conservation Restoration Ltd the contract for substantial leadwork and high level repointing of the Cathedral Transepts in 2015 funded by the WW1 Memorial Fund. The level of expertise they have assembled, and the care and sensitivity they showed, as we continued to use the building throughout the work was second to none. The project ran to time and budget. The end result is stunning. Heritage will be on all our tender lists for this kind of work in the future.
Canon Andrew Hindley,
Canon Sacrist, Blackburn Cathedral
I have always enjoyed working with the guys from Heritage Conservation Restoration Ltd (or Heritage-CR Ltd). They have a wealth of knowledge, are friendly and obliging and excel at developing excellent relationships with our mutual clients. Their quality of workmanship is top class and as such they are always top of my list when I am looking for a specialist contractor to provide the care and attention that our built heritage deserves.
Steve Welsh
Conservation Architect