Weaving House

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 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Next the ladder that was originally made to access the mezzanine floor in the granary has been strengthened and re-purposed to provide the access to the weaving house mezzanine.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 Weaving House now has some panels daubed with a lime mortar mix which will add much to its character

The new larch covered gable ends that have been finished by the maintenance team.

March 2022 saw us celebrating the fixing of the final shingles and boards to the Weaving House roof.

The volunteers have spent many hours making shingles, fixing them, recovering them from the fire and refixing them, it was a great thing to celebrate.

Everyone put their time and effort in to see the job done. Simon and John were especially diligent in the preparation and fixing of the shingles. But it was a real team effort. Thanks to everyone.

Stephen wrote and performed a celebratory piece which I reproduce here.

‘Seeouroof’

(Plundered by Stephen Worrall from ‘Beowulf’)

The fortunes favoured Hands on Heritage. Friends and

kinsmen flocked to it’s support; young followers, a force

to grow, future kinsmen.

So their mind turned to hall-building: they handed down

orders for men to work on a great weaving-hall meant to

be a wonder of the eastern shore for ever;

it would be their weaving-room, there to dispense

wisdom and skill to young and old.

Orders for work to adorn that wallstead and roof were

sent to many peoples. Some renowned in the art of

shingling, powerful counsellors, journeying far, would

lend advice, doubting the skills of the followers, too hard

an ordeal.

But the comrades rallied, skilled in the use of ancestral

blades, brave in their quest.

They proved their mastery in hall-building.

Then a Dragon, on the prowl from the steep vaults of a

stone-roofed barrow where he guarded a hoard writhed

with anger when he found the hall within his lands. The

vile sky-winger, belched out flames and burnt bright

homesteads, lashing shingle and thatch, everywhere the

havoc he wrought was in evidence. Back to the hoard he

would dart before daybreak, to hide in his den.

Then the Custodians were given bad news, a hard truth.

Deep anguish. The darkened mood gave way to a great

determination among the kinsmen, to see the fire dragon

thwarted. Then the order was given for all hands to help

to refurbish the Weaving Hall immediately. Men used

honed iron to cleave fine timbers, gifted craftsmen,

labour of love.

For three winters they toiled until soon it stood there,

finished and ready, in full view, the hall of halls. The hall

towered, its gables wide and high. Many did praise its

symmetry and craftsmanship.

The Custodians called for a great feasting, round upon

round of mead was passed. They sang then and played,

harp tunes and tales of adventure. There were high

times on the hall benches.

The world did hear tell of this wondrous wallstead. They

were a right people.

With apologies to Seamus Heaney

Thanks to everyone for the pictures – and, of course, for their hard work. It was a serious milestone for us all.

This Tuesday saw another fair weather day in the wood. The team worked hard processing the logs into shingles and attaching them to the Weaving House roof.

Donald and Tony were giving it their all cleaving the logs, so much so that the mallet finally disintegrated. Jon needed two attempts to make them a new one! He made the classic error of sawing too far down into the handle with the first one.

John and Beryl used both shaving horse and carpenter’s plane to finish the shingles to the right size and smoothness.

Still at the end of the day we had added substantially to the number of shingles on the roof. Thanks to all that came and helped.