Conservation & Heritage Issue 52 Summer/Autumn 2026 - Flipbook - Page 12
The approach required a full structural internal scaffold
which permitted full assessment of each individual joint at
level. This was undertaken by The BHB Conservation Team
alongside carpenters from Hampshire Oak. It compares the
original traditional approach, looks at the site repair proposal
and the rebuilding of the truss to its original arrangement.
existing timbers by adding new oak sections, incorporating
discreet stainless steel mechanical fixings, and concealed
steel strapping with demarcated timber pellets. The barn
remains in agricultural use at the heart of the farm on the
Highclere Estate
Our conservation architects carried out a detailed assessment
of the barn’s history and structure. In close collaboration with
Historic England, the Local Authority, and the design team,
we developed a phased repair plan that allowed the client to
fund the project gradually. This phased approach ensured
that repairs could be completed in manageable stages.
Above, Oak frame interior detail © Historic England Archive
Above, the replacement post to the Queens Post truss is temporarily braced to locate
in the vertical alignment. The primary rafter is then refitted into the main bearing
above the principal post © BHB Architects
Our conservation philosophy prioritised preserving the
original fabric of the barn wherever possible. We used
traditional materials for all visible repairs, with structural
reinforcements subtly concealed. Collaborating closely with
specialist timber framing carpenters, we ensured that each
joint received the most inobtrusive and sympathetic repair
solution possible. As a result, the barn’s historical character
has been carefully maintained, while its long-term stability
has been secured for future generations. A testament to
the success of the work is that the repairs are so seamlessly
discreet, it’s often hard to tell just where they were made.
With the aim of retaining the maximum amount of medieval
timbers, calculated and discreet structural repairs questioned
and reassessed traditional carpentry repair techniques
through the reasoned, partial dismantling of the historic
building and it’s framing. Repairs included; augmenting
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Above, Internal timber structure © Historic England Archive
Conservation & Heritage Journal
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