Fenland & Wash Group Working Party at Wangford Hall

Friday 26 June - Monday 29 June
9.30 - 4pm

Help to repair Wangford Hall’s old garden walls 

Following our successful Working Parties in 2024 and 2025 this year we'll continue to repair the historic garden boundary walls at Wangford Hall and make a start on the walls of some of the ancillary buildings on site which have sadly suffered neglect over the years.

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

There is space to camp on site.

If you can't attend all four days you are still very welcome to join us. 

After booking, please email fenland.wash@spab.org.uk to confirm which days you'll be there and whether you are planning to camp on site as this will help with our planning.

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

• Lime mortar mixing

• Chalk block cutting

• Flint knapping

• Brickwork repair

Programme 
Day One

9.30am - Introductions and safety briefing at Wangford Hall Garden Wall

10.00am-1pm - Repair work with breaks

1pm - Lunch (provided by the site owner) with mortar mixing & chalk block cutting demonstrations

2-5.30pm - Repair work with breaks

5.30pm - Pack away

6.30pm - BBQ

Overnight camping available

Day Two

8am Breakfast (provided by the site owner for those camping)

9.30am-1pm - Repair work with breaks

1pm - Lunch (provided by the site owner) with flint knapping demonstrations

2-5.30pm - Repair work with breaks

5.30pm - Pack away

6.30pm    BBQ

Overnight camping available

Day Three

8am Breakfast (provided provided by the site owner for those camping)

9.30am-Ipm - Repair work with breaks

1pm - Lunch (provided by the site owner)

2-5.30pm - Repair work with breaks

5.30pm - Pack away

6.30pm - BBQ

Overnight camping available

Day Four

8am  - Breakfast (provided by the site owner for those camping)

9.30am-1pm - Repair work with breaks

1pm - Lunch (provided by the site owner) with additional demonstrations

2-3.30pm - Repair work with breaks

4pm - Pack away

4.30pm - End of Working Party
 

You will need

• Work clothes and steel toe capped boots

• Tent and camping gear if camping

• Weather-appropriate clothing, suncream, waterproofs etc

Hard hats, high-vis vests and goggles will be provided.
 

Tutors

• Joe Orsi, historic buildings consultant and blacksmith
• Lynn Mathias, brick and flint conservation specialist and SPAB Guardian
   

Accessibility

• Uneven surfaces

• Significant periods of standing, walking and kneeling

• Time spent working outdoors

• Loud noises (particularly overhead military aircraft)

• 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.

Photos and filming:We may take photos or videos at this event to be used in future promotion, including in print and online. Participants may take photos and short videos for personal use, with permission of the course leader and all other participants in frame. If you want to post on social media, please message SPAB's Comms Team (press@spab.org.uk or @spab1877) for permission. If your material is good, we might ask to share it with our followers.

All bookings are subject to our Terms and Conditions.

Photo credit: Joe Orsi