Posted January 28th, 2010 by Birmingham Conservation Trust with No Comments
The Conservation Trust has been granted £14,000 of funding from English Heritage to carry out an architect’s appraisal at the 17th-century Bells Farm. It’s great news for the farmhouse, which is a Grade II*-listed and in urgent need of restoration after decades of without proper repair.
The funding, which will be matched by the City Council, will pay for an architect’s appraisal. It will help to formulate a plan for the repairs and set out how the building can be properly maintained. We’re really pleased that this funding has been secured. It offers hope that a building of real local historical significance can be restored to its former glory.
At the moment the front of the building needs work doing to the clay-tile roof and poorly repaired windows, which are letting in water. The City Council has set aside £300,000, some of which will be spent on these improvements, but the rear wing also requires urgent attention, which is why this new funding is so important.
A fire in the 1980s caused significant damage to the property and a number of timbers from the house have been left exposed and are now badly deteriorated. The scaffolding holding up the timbers is itself rusting badly and will need replacing. At the rear the scaffolding has been fenced off to prevent people from climbing on it, but this itself has allowed vegetation to grow up and create damp areas on the wall. If this work isn’t carried out within two years these original timbers will be unusable.
By carrying out an appraisal of the damage, and what can be done, it will be possible to set out a proper plan for the building’s future maintenance and repair, which we feel is essential to its long-term survival. Crucially, it will help to build a case for the Trust to apply to English Heritage to match the council’s £300,000 funding. This would pay for a complete restoration of the building.
As well as being a remarkable example of a mid-17th century farmhouse, Bells Farm is home to the Spearhead Trust, which provides activities including sports, arts, crafts and other important community services, so it’s in constant use. This makes it all the more important that we’re able to provide evidence of the building’s importance and what it means to people here. Anyone who would like to help us in any way in our work to save the Bells Farm should contact us. We’re keen to talk to anyone who knows about the building or, of course, anyone who can help with funding!
Bells Farm
The Conservation Trust has been granted £14,000 of funding from English Heritage to carry out an architect’s appraisal at the 17th century Bells Farm in Druids Heath. It’s great news for the farmhouse, which is a Grade II*-listed and in urgent need of restoration after decades of without proper repair.
Exposed timbers in Bells Farm
The funding, which will be matched by Birmingham City Council, will pay for an architect’s appraisal. It will then be possible to set out a proper plan for the building’s future maintenance and repair. Crucially, it will help to build a case for the Trust to apply to English Heritage for a complete restoration of the building.
For more information on Bell Farm and what we will be doing please look here.
Anyone who would like to help us in any way in our work to save the Bells Farm should contact us. We’re keen to talk to anyone who knows about the building or, of course, anyone who can help with funding!
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