Flint repair work in action!
- Kate
- 19 hours ago
- 3 min read
Over the winter you may have noticed that the ruins of Trowse Newton Hall were closed off behind locked gates. We had to take this step for public safety as the structure was potentially unstable in places. The building is very old indeed so it's doing pretty well, considering its age.
Did you know that these ruins date back to the 1450s? Any historic structure is vulnerable to weathering, especially an exposed ruin such as this one, and our aim is to avoid further flint loss from the walls.
We are pleased to announce that these ruins are now being repaired by the expert team from Phoenix Build, so they will be able to re-open to visitors when the works are complete in the next month or so.
Why has it taken so long to get repair works started?
Thank you for your patience with the delayed start. Our expert builders were unable to begin in autumn, as planned, due to persistent rain and then temperatures which were too low for lime mortar to set reliably. As well as the weather conditions, there has been a lot of planning and investigation going on behind the scenes in our office!
The ruins of Trowse Newton Hall are grade II listed, which brings an extra level of complexity when dealing with their repair. They also sit within listed parkland of Crown point Estate. We were advised to enlist a heritage buildings expert to survey the ruins and create a comprehensive report detailing the repairs needed.
Once the report was ready, a listed consent application had to be put forward to the Broads Authority planning department. With that, advice was sought from various heritage experts, including the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) and local expert cathedral architect Nicholas Warns, about the type of lime mortar that should be used for the repairs, as well as seeking out suitably experienced heritage builders for this project.
What has happened so far?
The heritage experts at Phoenix Build removed the ivy and vegetation in autumn time to check the state of the flint and lime walls underneath.
This work has been discussed on site with the heritage officer from the Broads Authority's planning team. This has been a positive process, where we have felt thoroughly supported. It is clear that everyone involved wants the same end result - a safe structure which is repaired with historical integrity for all to enjoy.
April 2026 - the repair work has now begun! You may be able to see the works from the gates either side, but please do not enter the site as it is a working area. We will let you know when it is open and safe for public access.
Heritage Open Days (HODs)
Whitlingham Country Park will be showing off the repaired structure at a free HODs event this September for the public to discover more about the works as well as the building's long and interesting history. We also love hosting theatre and music events within this atmospheric space, so do keep an eye on our What's On page for future opportunities to join in at the park.
👀 Keep an eye on this amazing structure as it develops and starts to come back to life!
