A Grade II listed 18th century building which reflects Shrewsbury’s history has been restored to its former glory thanks to the conservation skills and experience of Morris Property.
The company carried out extensive works at Whitehall Cottages in Monkmoor, repairing the building’s oak frame, sympathetically re-roofing it and installing a damp proof course. The doors and windows of the property were also repaired or replaced and the entire exterior redecorated.
After lying empty for some years the building had fallen into disrepair with holes in the roof, a rotting timber frame and windows and crumbling brickwork. Morris Property and its bespoke Joinery team were called in by Trillium (Prime) Property GP Ltd to bring it back into good order.
The team completed the project in 5 months, working with guidance from Shropshire Council’s conservation officers. This outbuilding was a former stable on the larger Whitehall property and dates to the early 18th century incorporating an earlier structure. In more recent times it has been used as offices.
Steve Bowen, contracts manager at Morris Property, said: “The roof was particularly challenging. We had to carefully remove all the roof coverings, including the original thick Harnage slates, which were quarried locally when the building was constructed.
“These were laid out and then re-used to retain its character. Reclaimed York slates were sourced to make up the shortfall as these were used when re-roofing works were undertaken many years ago.”
The original building was of timber frame construction and several large sections of the oak frame had to be repaired. The front façade of the building is brickwork which was added in the last 80 to 100 years. Morris Property cut out several areas of crumbling brickwork and replaced it with bricks of a similar colour and age, including the mortar.
New fixed and opening casement windows and new doors were made by Morris Joinery to match the existing ones if they could not be repaired.
Steve added: “It was an interesting project which put our team’s range of skills and expertise into action to make a real difference. There was a real sense of achievement to restore such a building, especially one in the town where we are based.”
Morris Property is a leading construction and development company with a 100 year heritage of creating new-build, contemporary developments and sensitively converting, restoring and refurbishing landmark buildings. Its joinery team of craftsmen offer a full range of domestic and commercial services.
