Wrought Iron Architectural Metalwork
Designed & manufactured in the U.K
By: Chris Topp & Co Ltd, North Yorkshire
Tel: 01845 501415
The Piece Hall archway gates were made in the 1870’s by George Smith & Co, Sun Foundry, Glasgow, who were well known makers at the time, and made the still extant gates for the market building at St Peter Port on Guernsey.
The gates are constructed using wrought iron for the framework with each panel filled with a grey iron ornamental casting. They are of considerable size and weight with the standard of the workmanship being very good. Particularly impressive is the forging of the back stile, which is forged in one with the bottom rail and the two hinges.
In September 2010 we did a survey and report on the state of the gates and surrounding stone work. The condition of the left hand top hinge caused concern and although apparently unlikely to actually fail, can hardly be considered safe. Some urgency was placed on finding a remedy to the difficulty of opening the gates and the resulting shaking as this is causing further damage. To achieve this major work will be required to the hinges. We also suggested that while the gates are removed they received attention. We observed that there is wastage to the bottom rails, particularly of the right hand gate and a new piece of wrought iron should be put in to replace the wasted section. It is accepted conservation practise to fix replacement structural sections by electric welding, although care must be taken not to cause any distortion, which will risk cracking the neighbouring castings. Other remedial work was also suggested.
The work went out to competitive tender and in November 2011 we were awarded the work. We removed the gates in December 2011 We estimated each of these gates weighs 4 tonnes; we had to build a special lifting frame to help with the removal and hired in lorry’s with specialist lifting equipment on board. The work is done to be completed in the spring of 2012.
