Woodhall has helped the Dominvs Group gain planning permission for a new hotel in Piccadilly, York.  This street, which formed part of the King’s Fish Pond during medieval times, was reclaimed in the early nineteenth century, and is now part of the City Council’s Castle Gateway Project, aiming to regenerate the area around Clifford’s Tower.  Woodhall was commissioned to assess the significance of the former Labour Exchange, immediately adjacent to the Grade I listed St Denys Church.

 

The site also stands within the setting of the scheduled and Grade I listed City Walls and Grade I listed Cliffords Tower, and is within the York Central Historic Core Conservation Area. Woodhall researched the historic development of the site, and assessed its contribution to the significance of surrounding heritage assets, as well as the conservation area.  This included assessment of key views of the site from the City Walls in relation to the Minster and other church towers.  We then worked with the design team in the evolution of the scheme, to minimise harm and maximise enhancement opportunities.  This involved liaison with Historic England and City of York Council.

The Ionic and Tuscan Temples were built in 1758 at each end of Rievaulx Terrace, overlooking Rievaulx Abbey, probably to a design by Sir Thomas Robinson.  The buildings are both listed Grade I and the terrace is a Grade I Registered Historic Park and Garden.  At the south end of the Terrace the Tuscan Temple is a circular drum with a dome encircled by 12 detached Doric columns supporting an entablature with triglyphs and bocrania. The interior has a painted ceiling with elaborate plasterwork and medieval floor tiles purportedly from the Abbey ruins. Following Woodhall’s Quinquennial Inspection which identified issues with the lead covering, we were commissioned to undertake a more detailed inspection of the dome. 

 

High level inspection with an access platform revealed that a number of the lead sheets had slipped and in the most severe cases, this had resulted in opening up of the vertical welt joints. Woodhall was appointed to specify the roof repairs and act as contract administrator for the project.  An independent scaffold with a temporary roof was erected to protect the significant interior whilst the leadwork was replaced, with the works carefully timed to minimise the impact on bats roosting in the structure.