Project Update – July 2018

Calderstones Heritage and Development Manager George Hawkins is back with another update from the Mansion House, including photos of some interesting discoveries made during the redevelopment work.

We are now well into our build programme, transforming The Mansion House into The International Centre for Shared Reading.

Lucky for us we got our huge roof tent (designed to protect the fabric of the building from the British weather) on just in time for about 8 solid weeks of sun!

Underneath that tent though, the Mansion House, built in 1828, is already completely transformed. It is remarkable to be able to stand in the stairwell on the ground floor and see up all the way through the roof to where the pigeons are flapping about the chimney pots.

We have stripped back many of the alterations made during Liverpool City Council’s occupancy and use of the building as offices, which has really changed its feel. It is much more open, and airy now.

 

We have discovered some interesting little details, such as where when a window needed removing in the main room, the previous builders just left it there, glass, frame and all, and bricked up both sides of it!

We have also found match boxes and cigarette packets from the 1920s and earlier, abandoned in roof spaces and, although it may be another few months before we'll be in need of painters and decorators, signs of the last time the place had a lick of paint.

There have been one or two horror discoveries which have altered our plans - how we will build a particular wall for example - but they pleasant surprises have far outweighed the undesirable! All in all it's going well and it's wonderful to see Calderstones Mansion House steadily being transformed and brought back to life.

Hear more from George talking to BBC Radio Merseyside's Paul Beesley about the Calder Stones and the redevelopment of the Mansion House:

Can you help?

The refurbishment of Calderstones is a massive project and we need a lot of help! Do you have skills you can share? There’s lots of ways to get involved:

• Volunteer your time
• Make a donation
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