The Vyne
The Vyne has been at the very cutting edge of style, reflecting the specific tastes of the owners. The Vyne was given to the National Trust in 1956 by Sir Charles Chute, having been in the ownership of two families (the Sandys family, followed by the Chutes) since 1488.Â
There are the vestiges of a vast great Tudor mansion, re-modelled to mid 17th century sensibilities and symmetry, giving a layered effect and an essay of the history of architecture in the past five centuries.
Nick Cox Architects were appointed by the National Trust to act as Lead Consultant for the project to restore the roof of the mansion. The appointment included project planning, cost planning, design, the preparation and submission of statutory consents, commissioning of further surveys, a pilot project and Principal Designer duties as defined in the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015.Â
Nick Cox Architects also participated in activities associated with the National Trust’s objectives for Interpretation and Engagement and contributed to activities associated with fundraising and with showcasing conservation in action through the design of a roof top walkway. This structure allowed the visiting public (including those with disabilities) an opportunity to see the works in progress and to view the wider landscape from roof level.
The physical works were needed to make the building water tight and included:Â Renewal of tiled roof coverings, Renewal of all leadwork using sand cast lead (re-cast from the original), alteration of rainwater outlets, re-building unstable chimney stacks, rebuilding defective sections of parapet walls and cappings, conservation works and re-pointing to all elevations, repairs to sash windows, works to improve the lightning protection system, Introduce new fall restraint system.Â
Work was also done to investigate the potential for the provision of a new photovoltaic array to central valley. Other works required investigations to support the specification and design for improved insulation in the roof and for fire protection within the roof.
The main challenges involved the integration of additional fire protection retrospectively and the coordination of roofing and masonry works within a constrained working area. Other challenges included project constraints due to protected species and the
