Flint and Lime Centre - TrustNews Spring 1988
Since its foundation in 1957 the Trust has campaigned to save the flint and brick walls of winchester, and has given practical or financial help on several occasions. But our highest priority in recent years has been to try and show how walls should be repaired so that owners can either do the work themselves or see that it is done properly by others.
The remarkable thing is that wall repair is not difficult, but such is the ignorance of the building and DIY industry that repairs often do more harm than good because the wrong materials and techniques are used.
It is mostly a question of using the right mortar mix and finishing the work so that it sheds and allows evaporation of water instead of catching and storing it in the wall where it will freeze and cause damage.
But our efforts have been slow to take effect because of the difficulty in obtaining the right lime and sand, and because there has been no where to go for practical training. We are therefore delighted to learn that a member of the Trust, Rob Bennett, is planning to extend his masonry consultancy business by creating a Flint and Lime Centre at his premises, the Long Barn at Morestead.
He can already supply the necessary materials in the small quantities which most owners require, and will give advice on an individual basis. But he soon hopes to be running training sessions and providing a workshop for "hands on" experience. At the request of English Heritage he has already run a course for a number of architects who came down from London for the day.
If you want to know more about his plans, we suggest you write direct to Mr. R. H. Bennett, Long Barn, Morestead, Winchester, mentioning that you are a member of the Trust.