Fenland & Wash Group Working Party

Wednesday 26 - Thursday 27 June 

This Working Party is an exciting opportunity for SPAB Members to get hands-on and save a piece of history, while learning some traditional craft skills along the way!  

Through local campaigning, an opportunity has come up to help repair a historic boundary wall at Wangford Hall which has sadly suffered neglect over the years. 

Under the guidance of specialists, you’ll learn how to repair a wall using traditional materials including chalk block, brick and flint.  

This Working Party is all about celebrating the local. So we’ll be mixing our own lime mortar using locally sourced aggregates and burnt chalk quicklime to match the existing, as well as cutting new locally sourced chalk stone into blocks. 

Who is this event for?

This event is for Members who want to get their hands dirty, learn new skills, and help to save a piece of history.

You will learn 

By the end of this Working Party, you will have had the chance to try: 

• Chalk burning in a test kiln 
• Chalk mortar mixing  
• Chalk block cutting 
• Flint knapping 
• Brick wall repair  

Programme 

This programme is subject to minor changes.

Day One

Day Two

You will need 

Please bring 

• Work clothes and steel toe capped boots  
• Tent and camping gear if camping 
• Weather-appropriate clothing, suncream etc

We’ll provide hard hats and high-vis vests. 

Tutors

• Joe Orsi,  blacksmith and historic buildings consultant  
• Lynn Mathias, brick and flint conservation specialist and SPAB Guardian 
• Thom Taylor, stonemason and 2021 SPAB Fellow 
• Stafford Holmes, building limes specialist and SPAB Guardian 
• Hugh Conway-Morris, architect and 2009 SPAB Scholar 
• Graham Griffiths, Director of The Lime Place Suffolk 

Accessibility

The conditions at this event are likely to include:

• Uneven surfaces 
• Significant periods of standing and kneeling 
• Time spent working outdoors 
• Catering for dietary restrictions, if indicated on the booking form 

Anything we can do to make this event more accessible for you? Please email membership@spab.org.uk. 

We may take photos or videos at this event to be used in future promotion, including in print and online.

All bookings are subject to our Terms and Conditions. 

Photo credit: Wangford Hall historic wall © Jonathan Garlick