Today the plastering crew turned into painters and decorators to complete the painting of the lime render inside and out with a special breathable emulsion. The building looks fantastic now and seems much brighter inside.

So a big thanks to the team who have been working on the house over the summer.

Next week we will be having a big clean up of the wood which should not have been plastered or painted and it will be ready for use in September. The large loom can then be re-installed on the wall.

We still have shutters to manufacture and fit to the windows which will happen during the autumn.

I am told that the build project began in 2017 so it is great to see the building nearly complete. It is really a fabulous facility on the site.  Thanks to everyone who has worked on the project over the years. 

The post Painting the Weaving House appeared first on Hands on Heritage.

We have moved on to the final coat of lime mortar plaster on the Weaving House. In the photo the bottom 4 panels have been completed which contrast with the top panels which are base coat only. The top coat goes on a lot quicker than the base coat.

There is a problem that we get through the mortar rapidly and, as it is all being mixed by hand, it is quite hard to keep up with the plasterers.

The post Progress on the Weaving House appeared first on Hands on Heritage.

The latest work on the Weaving House has been aided by the young carers who came on site over the summer. They turned their hand to making decorated hazel spindles that would guard the edge of the mezzanine floor. This also includes a door for access.

Next the ladder that was originally made to access the mezzanine floor in the granary has been strengthened and re-purposed to provide the access to the weaving house mezzanine. It is fastened to the main beam at the edge of the floor by pin hinges and cannot easily be removed or detached. A lifting mechanism has been provided to enable storage of the ladder at ceiling height so that all of the ground floor space is totally useable. A rope and pulley system has been installed to enable raising and lowering of the ladder. A temporary fastening has been provided for the rope loop to be hooked onto whilst we source and appropriate hand made iron hook and tethering ring to provide the final fixing.

The outer walls of the building continue to have plaster applied to the laths but I think it will be early 2024 before they are complete.

Anyone who fancies learning master plastering skills is very welcome to join us on Tuesday work days as we continue to fill in the walls of the weaving house.

The post Weaving House – interior enhancements progress report. appeared first on Hands on Heritage.

Click on the link below to read the full article with lots of brilliant pictures of the firing and many of the people involved. Our thanks to Suffolk Heritage Explorer website.

The post “Ipswich ware” pottery made for the first time in over 1,000 years appeared first on Hands on Heritage.

The maintenance team have done a great job in renovating the forge and adding an extension to the front. The pitch of the roof has been increased and the hazel screens around the side have been replaced with new wood. The front extension has been created to help protect the users. With the uncertainty of this summer’s weather it has been a great help.

The cooking hearth in the main shelter has been leveled and re pointed.

The teams continue to work on the weaving house using their skills in daubing with lime plaster and attaching barge boards.

Thanks to Donald for these pictures.

The post The Forge – repair and improvement appeared first on Hands on Heritage.

John hones his rendering skills on the Weaving House walls.

The fall of sunshine through the laths creates a lovely pattern.

…… and Beryl still has many looms to prepare before the next school day.

New hazel wall being expertly crafted by the Tuesday maintenance team.

The finished wall – making the Forge look very neat

In all the excitement of the Kiln project don’t forget we are still on site every Tuesday doing regular maintenance jobs, preparing for school days and, of course, drinking tea.

The post Meanwhile – back at the Weaving House and Forge appeared first on Hands on Heritage.

Last week saw a lot of activity on site centered around the kiln project. The team worked to hard to assemble the structure and prepare the linings of the kiln.

HoH volunteers and the East Anglian Potters worked together to make the clay slabs that will be used to shape the dome roof of the kiln.

The kiln needs to be gently fired to allow the structure to dry out a bit.

Duncan uses green hazel sticks to provide a basis for the dome structure top.

The post Anglo Saxon Kiln Project – things are hotting up! appeared first on Hands on Heritage.

Click here Building the replica Ipswich ware kiln

The post Building the replica Ipswich ware kiln appeared first on Hands on Heritage.

This week saw lots of participation in producing pots to be fired in the kiln.

Part of the Rendlesham Revealed project the volunteers joined the Anglian Potters on a chilly day in the forest.

Using London clay they are making pots to help understand the origins and styles of Ipswich ware a mass produced pottery dating from about AD 680-870.

This exciting work is all part of the wider work being done to explore what is happening in the exploration of the Rendlesham Palace site and surrounding areas.

It is great to share our site with such enthusiasts.

If you would like to know more have a look at this link Being Anglo Saxon

The post Anglo-Saxon kiln project progress appeared first on Hands on Heritage.

Excellent work everyone, it should be good for the next few years now.

The post The Forge gets refurbished appeared first on Hands on Heritage.