WORK to preserve the historic porch in Bourne Hill Gardens, originally part of Salisbury Cathedral, will start next month.
Councillor Paul Sample said the porch, which can be found in the southeast corner of Bourne Hill Gardens, has fallen into disrepair in recent years.
The £21,000 project will see the removal of rusted iron cramps, the reinstating of any necessary structural ties using stainless steel fixings, the removal of unsuitable previous hard cementitious repairs and replacing it with lime mortar, restoring damaged stone surfaces and removing embedded roots.
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The porch dates back to the 15th century. It was taken from Salisbury Cathedral and re-erected in the garden by the owner of Bourne Hill, Henry Wyndham, in 1791.
Recent assessments revealed that three embedded circumferential bands of rusting iron cramps have expanded over time, causing the stone faces to crack and spall. Some of these damaged areas had previously been repaired with hard mortar.
A detaching fragment of stone was recently removed, revealing the extent of deterioration around the rusting metal fixings.
At the base of the spire, where it intersects with the square main structure, a hard cementitious mortar haunch was previously installed to divert water away and towards designated drainage outlets at the corners.
However, the haunch, which sits behind a perimeter projecting string course, has suffered from significant root penetration over time.
Approximately 60% of the string course has been lifted and displaced by root growth, causing further disruption to the perimeter stones.
This displacement allows water to seep in, encourages the propagation of seeds and contributes to the ongoing deterioration of the upper structure.
“These factors have underscored the necessity of the restoration works to be undertaken to preserve this historical structure,” a Salisbury City Council spokesperson said.
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