A 16th century Grade II Listed former farmhouse in East Suffolk has been restored and it includes subsequent 17th and 19th re-modelling. With a primarily oak timber frame, the construction features a double jettied gable at the first floor with brick noggin exposed in Flemish bond. A ground floor oriel window is flanked by pargeted render panels and the outshot was rendered with partial parge work to the gable still visible.

Exposed timbers and brickwork to the gable had been re-pointed in recent years and painted with heavy modern paint, which led to the areas showing sign of distress and a sorry appearance. Render to the gable, return wall and outshot had been patch repaired over the 20th century with heavy impervious cement render and various forms of filler, along with modern paint which was leading to the degradation of the structure.

During exposure extensive decay to supporting laths and de-lamination of render coats, some resultant from water penetration and previous repairs resulted in render being removed.

To fix the defect, careful measure and recording of the remaining detail and dimensions of parge work was undertaken so that templates and tools could be manufactured by a local engineer to replicate previous design and layout.

The heavy paint to the exposed timber gable was removed with a chemical stripper, which was manufactured and supplied by Strippers Paint Removers, and cement pointing to brick noggins was carefully removed and re-pointing undertaken with one of Anglia Lime Company’s readymixed lime mortar mixes along with localised brick repairs with reclaimed Tudor reds.

External cement render was removed and period render was found to be in a friable condition with supporting laths rot affected and fixing nails corroded.

The previous rendered walls were then re-lathed and applied with ALC’s Fibrechalk and laid to a smooth finish. The gable end wall to outshot was re-dressed with parge work consisting of a continuous rope in borders, whilst panels to either side of the ground floor oriel window of the main gable was stamped with a pricked indent with beaded surround to match existing profile.

To finish, and preserve it was all then painted with ALC’s Original Limewash. The restoration was completed by Rickards Period Plastering Ltd.