Heritage roofing case study - Swanage, Dorset
Purbeck Stone Roof on a Listed Building in Swanage.
A listed heritage property in Swanage, re-roofed in July 2022 with individually crafted Purbeck stone, lime mortar and traditional cast iron brackets. A recent photograph shows the finished roof still complementing the building years later.
Fully insured Workmanship guaranteed In-house scaffolding
01 The brief
A carefully planned roofing project built around the property, location and brief.
Challenge
Replacing the roof of this listed heritage building in Swanage called for a finish that respected its historic character. The stone covering and traditional details needed to sit naturally alongside the existing masonry and chimneys. Building control and the local council oversaw the project from start to finish, making careful coordination an important part of the work.
Solution
We used Purbeck stone from a local quarry, individually crafting each roofing stone to fit rather than treating the covering as a standardised tiled roof. Lime mortar was used for the mortar work, and cast iron brackets replicated the traditional finish the property had hundreds of years ago. The photographs show the fitted stone courses and the lead detailing around the chimney junctions, as well as the completed building viewed from the garden.
02 What we did
A controlled roof replacement from strip-out to final detailing.
01
Carried out the roof replacement with oversight from building control and the local council throughout the project.
02
Used locally quarried Purbeck stone to retain the roof's connection with the building and its Dorset setting.
03
Individually crafted and fitted each stone across the roof slopes, with careful attention to the courses and adjoining details.
04
Used lime mortar for the mortar works and completed the roof junctions around the existing chimneys.
05
Finished with cast iron brackets that replicated the property's traditional appearance, completing the roofing works in July 2022.
03 Project gallery
Project images from the completed roofing work.
The result
A finished roof built for long-term South Coast performance.
A completed Purbeck stone roof that preserves the character of a listed heritage property in Swanage.
Locally sourced stone, lime mortar and traditional cast iron details brought together in one carefully finished project.
A happy customer at completion in July 2022, with the recent garden photograph showing how well the roof continues to suit the house.
At the time of this project update, the house is being offered for sale. The photographs provide a look back at the roofing work and a more recent view of the finished property.
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