Wednesday 2 May 2012, 9.30am-4.30pm

The course

An examination of the change in style of doors, floors and panelling, in domestic buildings, which occurred during the Georgian period.  A mixture of lectures, practical demonstration and an opportunity to view an illustrative selection from the Museum’s collection of artefacts. This course will be appropriate to all those wishing to gain an understanding of how these important joinery features reflected Georgian taste and commerce and how they differed from their Tudor and Jacobean predecessors.

Programme

An introduction to Medieval and Jacobean methods of making doors, laying floorboards and fabricating panelling. The aim of this session is to establish the form of these elements, preceding the Georgian Period in order for the participants to recognise them and to contrast them with their Georgian equivalents. (Joe Thompson)
Coffee
Doors, floorboards and panelling from the period from around 1680 to 1830 (Stephen Bull)
Lunch
Practical session illustrating some of the tools and techniques used to fabricate and fit doors, floorboards and panelling (Stephen Bull)
Tea
A handling session of some of the Museum's doors and panelling (Joe Thompson & Stephen Bull)

The tutors

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.

Joe Thompson of Sussex Oak & Iron is carpenter in residence at the Weald & Downland Open Air Museum. He teaches a range of historic carpentry courses at the Museum. He worked in modern carpentry until the hurricane of October 1987. The sight of so many destroyed oak trees committed him to ensuring that such valuable material was put to good use, and from there sprang his interest in historic building conservation. He has developed a keen analytical eye and a scholar’s passion for following and interpreting the evidence along with a natural skill in teaching.

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.