Tuesday 8 May 2012, 9.30am-4.30pm

The course

This day will comprise lectures and practical demonstrations of the joinery involved in making and repairing sash windows, and the examination of original examples from the Brooking Collection.

Programme:

  • Introduction (Stephen Bull)
  • The history of the Brooking Collection, history and development of the English sash window and the importance of education and conservation (Charles Brooking)
  • Coffee
  • How the sash window is constructed, how the weights work and are balanced, a brief history of wild timber stock, how the window fits into the building structure, tools and techniques, glass manufacture and glazing (Stephen Bull)
  • The English Window (Stephen Bull)
  • Lunch, and opportunity to view the film “The Charles Brooking Collection”
  • Window repairs and maintenance (Stephen Bull)
  • Tea
  • Shutters, internal and external, insulation, double glazing, secondary glazing and draught proofing (Charles Brooking and Stephen Bull)
  • Q&A

The tutors

Charles Brooking is an architectural historian and consultant on building and joinery.  Over a lifetime of collecting he has built up the Brooking Collection of Architectural Detail; the only major national Collection of its kind in the UK. The Collection physically charts the evolution of British building details over the last 500 years. Charles has rescued architectural features since 1966, retrieved from all kinds of buildings, from national Landmark buildings to the humble terrace house, and from country estates to vernacular cottages.  The Collection has been used as a teaching resource by conservation professionals, schools, architectural students, designers, crafts apprentices and private individuals for the last 23 years. For further information visit www.thebrookingcollection.com

Stephen Bull runs Historic Building Conservation & Repair (HBCR) based in the centre of London.  HBCR have repaired and maintained over 70 Listed buildings.  Stephen has always had a fascination with historic buildings.  Born in Leytonstone, East London, he was inspired by the park and grounds of Wanstead House, Clarence House Thaxted and Walter House Walthamstow - the family home of William Morris.  He is an elected Guardian of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB), is on the SPAB technical panel and is an adviser to the Georgian Group.  He has lectured to the Historic Chapels Trust, the Institute of Historic Building Conservation, SPAB, The Georgian Group and at the Great Barn of Croxley 1397.

Participant information

The course will be limited to 15 participants.  No special clothing or equipment is required.

Fee

£99 per person to include tuition, teas & coffees and a light lunch.  If all three courses in The Georgian House series are booked together, the fee will be £240.

The Museum

The Weald & Downland Open Air Museum has over 45 historic building exhibits.  It is also home to the award winning and innovative Downland Gridshell, which houses a conservation workshop and artefact store, and is also used for many practical courses. The Museum runs a full programme of courses in historic building conservation and traditional rural trades and crafts, along with MSc programmes in Building Conservation and Timber Building Conservation. Please telephone for further details.

To book, download a form here.  Alternatively, fill in the booking request below.

Make a Booking Request

 
This is an initial booking request form, and does not guarantee a place on the course. The Adult Learning Team will check the availability of the course, and reply to you as soon as possible - usually within one working day.