The churchwardens of a medieval parish church in Grasmere commissioned us to provide internal scaffold access for urgent ceiling repairs. Water ingress through the nave roof had caused sections of the original lime plaster ceiling to delaminate from the timber lath beneath, and the conservation-accredited plasterer needed full overhead access across a 14-metre nave to assess the extent of the damage and carry out repairs using traditional lime techniques.
The church — a Grade I listed building dating from the 13th century with significant literary and historical associations — required the highest level of heritage scaffold care. The conservation architect specified that no scaffold could touch the medieval wall paintings on the north wall, no loads could bear on the historic stone floor flags without protective distribution plates, and the scaffold had to be designed so that services could continue in the south aisle throughout the repair programme.
We designed a full-span birdcage scaffold covering the entire nave from the chancel arch to the west wall — approximately 14 metres by 7 metres — with a continuous working platform at a height that gave the plasterer comfortable overhead reach to every section of the ceiling. The birdcage was erected within the nave only, leaving the south aisle completely clear for continued church use.
Every scaffold leg stood on a timber sole plate with a felt pad beneath to protect the medieval stone flags from point loads and surface marking. The scaffold was entirely free-standing — no ties to walls, columns or roof timbers were used, which was a strict condition of the listed building consent. Platform boards were fitted with a 300mm gap from the north wall to ensure zero risk of contact with the medieval wall paintings. A dedicated staircase access tower at the west end provided safe entry to the platform without using the church’s internal stairways.
The church’s narrow doorway — a pointed Gothic arch just 1.2 metres wide — limited the size of scaffold components that could be carried inside. We specified shorter tube lengths and narrow boards, and planned the erection sequence to build from the chancel end backwards so that completed sections did not block the delivery route for subsequent components. The entire birdcage was assembled by hand inside the building without any power tools, to avoid vibration that could dislodge further plaster from the damaged ceiling above.
The conservation architect required a detailed method statement and photographic record before, during and after the scaffold installation — standard practice on our heritage projects but especially thorough for a Grade I building. We also coordinated with the church calendar to avoid erection during services, weddings and significant community events. The Ambleside and Grasmere area has several historic churches, and this project drew on our experience from similar ecclesiastical scaffold work elsewhere in the Lake District.
The birdcage scaffold was erected over two days and remained in place for ten weeks. The plasterer assessed every square metre of ceiling, stabilised all delaminating sections using traditional lime-and-hair plaster techniques, and applied localised lime skim repairs where the original surface had been lost. The south aisle remained in use for services throughout. The scaffold was dismantled with the same care as erection — the conservation architect confirmed no marking, no disturbance to the wall paintings, and no damage to the medieval stone floor. A successful restoration of one of the Lake District’s most cherished buildings.
Call 07415331135 to discuss internal heritage scaffolding for your restoration project. Or contact us through our contact page. Find out more about us.
