Barwon Park Homestead Roof Repairs 2020
Prepared by Samantha Westbrooke, National Trust Conservation Architect
In 2019 the National Trust was awarded a DELWP Living Heritage Grant to undertake conservation works to its State listed properties over two years. For the 19/20 Financial Year $8,000 was allocated towards roof repairs to Barwon Park Mansion.
Background to the Project
Barwon Park is located at 105 Inverleigh-Winchelsea Road, Winchelsea. It is included on the Victorian Heritage Register H0365.
The homestead has a slate roof and regular repairs and maintenance is required to the roof to keep it watertight. A number of leaks had been identified across the roof and experienced slate roofer Mark Reeves of Reeves Roofing was engaged to review the roof and undertake the most urgent repairs utilising the $8,000 funds allocated.
Mark undertook a thorough review of the roof, and as well as undertaking the most urgent works and has provided a recommended scope of works moving forward to be budgeted for in subsequent years.
Living Heritage Grant Works
During April and May 2020 Mark Reeves of Reeves Roofing undertook miscellaneous roof repairs to address the most urgent water ingress issues to the mansion resulting from faulty, damaged or deteriorated slates and rainwater goods as follows:
Slate repairs: Replaced a large number of broken and slipped slates across all roof elevations with reclaimed Welsh slate to match the existing. The vast majority of slates used were from stores in the grounds of the mansion.
Chimney works: Replaced cracked and leaking Lead cover flashings with new lead as required. Cover flashings that were serviceable were removed reformed and refitted. Installed lead plugs and repointed joints as required. Redundant Aerial removed.
Lead Roll top ridge. Several sections of Lead ridge at the front of the building had slipped down to the gutter. Holding brackets were removed the lead was pulled up back into position. Brackets refitted with new screws. Ares of lead to the hips and ridgeline were repaired and new lead sections were fitted.
Undercover area repairs: Several small leaks in this area and an accumulation of different problems. The Box gutter cover flashing has a wide joint, the pointing was badly cracked. The old pointing was removed the chase prepared and repointed using a base point of course washed sand and cement then a finer grade washed sand & cement final point. It was during these works and upon closer inspection revealing the extent of corrosion to the box gutter. The box gutters are in poor condition, areas of box gutter were painted using a suitable protective material. Rainwater pipes were diverted into the outlets to reduce the volume of water flowing onto the box gutter from the upper roof elevations. Two areas were fitted with lead cover flashing.
The National Trust is very grateful for the financial assistance provided to this project by the Living Heritage Grants Program, which has addressed urgent roof issues, but also assisted in having a much better idea of required roof works and maintenance requirements going forward. It was also great to discover Reeves Roofing who demonstrated a good approach to repairs (as much as necessary but as little as possible) and using traditional methods.
