The stone fins on the front of building make it completely unique. Offering both charater and history, to a what is a new build. The stone was carefully sourced from Staton Moor, near Matlock. Which adds to the excitment of this project knowing that the stone was sourced within the local area. It is extimated that the stone will have formed over the last 145 million years. Giving this new construction all the herritage and class it deserves.

A great review of the project here

“There are fond memories of the Thornton’s confectionery factory in Derwent Street, Belper. From 1947 to 2004 the delightful scents could spread intoxicatingly right across this Derbyshire Milltown. Before that, the complex had been a blouse and hosiery factory which at one point absorbed a neighbouring former music hall/cinema, the Empire, dating from 1911. Now it has changed use again to be a new public library: part of a part-new-build, part-refurbished little complex also including a dementia care home. This is the start of the revival of what had become a badly run-down bit of town. It’s in the Derwent Valley Mills Unesco World Heritage Site: great care was needed with what was built here.

The MacEwen judges kept coming back to this project in the discussion and understandably: it is a rare piece of public ­patronage, of good quality, alert to its context, on a long-derelict brownfield site. It is designed as a piece of townscape as much as a building, adding a small civic square, a place of refuge from the busy A6 road which runs north-south through the town close by. And it is designed to be seen from a distance and from above. Viewed from up on the valley sides of the Derwent it sits well with the grain and colours of the town. Unesco need not worry. Nor did judge Kathy MacEwen, who declared ‘A library with a care home is a fantastic idea- both unusual and stimulating.’

This is a novel combination of uses to find. You enter the main entrance foyer, where the Derbyshire sandstone of the exterior continues through to the interior, and you can go one of three ways: straight ahead for the care home (off-limits to non-family visitors at present for obvious reasons), left to a public café on the square (ditto), right to the library, also now in lockdown. The 40-bed two-storey care home, then, for all its necessarily secure nature and enclosed courtyard design, is itself treated as being of civic importance. There is a feeling of respect here. Before its residents moved in, it functioned for a few months as an official small Nightingale Hospital, treating Covid-19 patients.

The abandoned factory – and Derwent Street generally – had deteriorated over recent years. A serious fire in 2013 put paid to a large section of the factory. Various plans were hatched for the area – on the western edge of the town where it gives way to the flood meadows of the River Derwent. Schemes for a superstore, for housing, came and went. Finally, the public sector intervened, in the form of Derbyshire County Council. Architect Lathams drew up an indicative plan for a complex which would bring together three functions; the care home and library, plus a new NHS adult health centre. All these functions pre-existed in the town but were in old, increasingly unfit for purpose buildings: for instance, the library was on several levels in a one-time doctor’s house while the previous Ada Belfield dementia care home (named after a prominent post-war local politician and philanthropist) was in a time-expired 1960s building that would have cost many millions to upgrade to modern standards. There followed a design competition, won by Glancy Nicholls with a more compact scheme.

If the name sounds familiar in this context, that’s because Birmingham-based Glancy Nicholls won the MacEwen Award in 2018 with another care home for DCC up the valley beyond Matlock. Practice co-founder Patrick Nicholls says it all comes down to the dedication of his original client, Bill Robertson, who while at Birmingham instigated a drive to radically improve the quality of dementia care facilities – and then moved to Derbyshire where after retirement his work was continued by Liz Ewbank. Hence the quality of this project.

The stone public frontages to the library and southern flank of the care home give way to red brick, textured to the wings of the care home behind. The pattern of perforated bronze elements is taken from original local weaving loom punch-cards. The masonry picks up on the retained redbrick-with-stone-dressings facade of the old factory running down Derwent Street as well as the old Empire block adjoining. These decent workaday buildings have an important value as part of the industrial and social history of the town.

Now the complex is re-oriented eastwards towards the town centre, this long retained north-facing facade has a problem: it still looks like frontage but has become a flank. Nothing much happens there, behind the facade it’s just secondary spaces. So the old street is not fully re-activated, something that could continue to be a problem until a presently empty site opposite is redeveloped.

The new building has empty sites all around it, and only some fringe small industrial buildings behind. The originally planned new health facility did not happen: Nicholls is pondering if houses might replace it, so providing an edge to the new square. But what is already built should unlock what has long been a problematic part of town.

The library itself is a good place to be: fully visible from the square outside and vice-versa via shop-window scale glazing at ground level, breaching the old Empire walls. A line of salvaged cast-iron columns from a foundry in nearby Milford marches down the centre of the main room. Although it is all laid out on the ground level, it is a very lofty space rising right up to the underside of the pitched roof. A good public library always lifts the spirits, and for a relatively small town this is certainly a good one, and with its bookable rooms is a real community asset. It is also closer to the centre and much more inviting than the old one.

So there are multiple reasons this project scores highly in this year’s MacEwen Award. An enlightened, committed public client with an established relationship with its architect: a decent budget for a building of quality, designed to last using local stone, responding to context and re-using existing building fabric: enshrining the notion that care for the elderly is not something to be shunted away out of sight; the community asset of a good library much improved; new small-scale civic space; good use of brownfield land. There’s one more thing they could have done though: re-instate the toffee and sherbet smells.”

Source: The RIBA Journal Magazine

Here at Tudor Stone, we have decades of experience and bucket loads of passion for the trade. If you would like to see some of our past projects head over to our gallery here.

Alternatively, if you would like to contact us to discuss a project of your own you can reach us here.

The post The Ada Belfield Centre & Belper Library Project appeared first on Tudor Stone Ltd | Stone Masonry in Chesterfield | Walling Stone | Natural Stone Supplies.

Stone Masonry is believed to be the oldest trade in civilisation

Throughout history, it is considered that stone masonry is the oldest trade in modern civilisation. It is also considered to be the oldest highly skilled and sought after trade. Rightly so as well.

The starting point for this may have been calligraphy, which involves tools to chip away at stone to engrave writing. This form of art is believed to have been the first known communication in human history. Allowing people to use this form of calligraphy as a method of communication.

Masonry can be as simple or complex as the stonemason wants or needs it to be. No matter how “simple” it is, there is no question it is a skilled and intricate task. An experienced stonemason uses their tools to create pieces of rock into shapes using mortar to form appealing structures.

Six Types of stone masonry

• Ashlar masonry – where stones are cut.
• Fixer masonry – where masons use mortars and grout to fix the stones onto buildings.
• Memorial masons – where masons carve inscriptions into headstones
• Rubble masonry – where stones that have been roughly cut and laid in a mortar.
• Slip-form stone masonry – where using form-work the mason creates stone walls or similar structures.
• Stone veneer – where decorative walls are created for structures or hiding a structural wall.

Looking back to medieval stonemasons, traditionally performed a 7-year apprenticeship. Believe it or not, they did undergo a 7-year apprenticeship which is quite impressive for the time. Using a practical hands-on approach and learning the tricks of the trade through this form of learning. The stonemason apprenticeship is very similar today, however conventionally it is 3 years rather than 7 years.

Back in medieval times, stonemason guilds had three classes. Apprentices, journeymen and master masons. The apprentices were bound to their masters, in debt to them for the price of their training. Journeymen were considered a high skill, allowed to go on journeys with their “masters” to aid on projects. Master masons were free men. Travelling around where ever the work takes them.

freemasons used to carve a personal symbol on their work as a form of ‘quality assurance’. It was also a way of signing their work in order to differentiate their work from others. Much like an artist signing a painting once they have completed it.

Traditionally, stonemasons use a variety of tools for their work. Including a mallet, chisel, hammer and straight edge. The majority of stonemasons will have a variety of tools, ranging in shapes and sizes. These are needed as all stones vary in a number of ways and require different tools to get the perfect finish and design. A masons hammer is different from a normal hammer, as we know it. They have a thinner and longer head which are used with a chisel to chip away at the stone.

When cultures met, stonemasons shared techniques and best practices. Learning from one another to create unique architecture and sculptures. A fantastic example of this is Europeans settling in foreign areas. A lot of architecture outside of Europe has a massive European influence and can be easily identified. To this day we all enjoy some of the amazing examples of architecture that has been created over the years. Stone is an incredible material as it stays around for many years. 

Due to evolutionary changes over the years, this has become a dying art. With fewer people specialising in stonemasonry it is a very unique trade. 

Here at Tudor Stone, we have decades of experience and bucket loads of passion for the trade. If you would like to see some of our past projects head over to our gallery here.

Alternatively, if you would like to contact us to discuss a project of your own you can reach us here.

The post The History of Stone Masony and Where It Started appeared first on Tudor Stone Ltd | Stone Masonry in Chesterfield | Walling Stone | Natural Stone Supplies.

In this guide, we’re going to highlight a few tips that should help you to select a stone masonry contractor who won’t let you down, so with this in mind, let’s get started.

Tip 1 – Check their qualifications

The trade of stone masonry is rarely something you can teach to yourself, so it’s wise to take a closer look at the qualifications of your chosen stone masonry expert. In most cases, you should be able to find this information on their website without too much difficulty.

You can find out more about us, our experience and qualifications here.

Tip 2 – Ask about their experience

In addition to the qualifications of your stonemason, you’ll want to pick somebody who has the relevant experience to do a fantastic job, especially if you’re hiring someone to work on a very important project.

In most cases, you can expect your stonemason to advertise their chosen speciality, and making sure this lines up with your project will go a long way toward ensuring you make the right choice.

Tip 3 – Get a timeline estimate

It’s safe to say that some stone masonry projects are likely to take far longer than others, so it’s wise to get an estimate for how long the project is going to take. Not only does this give you some confidence to know how long the project is going to take, but it also helps you to plan your life around the completion date, too.

Tip 4 – Ask for references or testimonials

Perhaps one of the best ways to know you’ve chosen a suitable stonemason is to ask for some references or testimonials from previous clients. You’ll often find this information proudly displayed on the stone mason’s website, and it’s certainly a good idea to browse through some of the photos they’ve posted from their previous projects.

Just as you’d expect, this will let you know the general skill level of the stonemason, and it can even give you some extra ideas for what you’d like on your own project as well.

Tip 5 – Make sure they have insurance

While nobody likes to dwell on the worst that can happen, it’s always important to make sure your chosen stonemason has the appropriate insurance policies in place. Furthermore, you’ll want to make sure that the insurance policy is up to date and covers the period in which the stonemason will be working on your project.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, choosing a skilled and reliable stonemason isn’t always an easy choice to make, but if you keep these important tips in mind when you’re searching, then you should ultimately be able to settle on a stonemason who has the skills and experience to give you a fantastic finished product.

Questions and Queries

If you have any questions or queries after reading this please feel free to get in touch with us. You can easily reach us on our contact page, here.

The post Stone Masonry – Tips For Hiring The Right Stone Mason appeared first on Tudor Stone Ltd | Stone Masonry in Chesterfield | Walling Stone | Natural Stone Supplies.