Project Name: Rebuilding of Screen Walls
Location: Woburn Abbey
Client: Bedford Estate
Building Period: 18th Century
Listed Status: Grade I
The North and South Screen walls at Woburn Abbey, were added by Henry Flitcroft in the late 18th Century. Prior to the demolition of the eastern part of the Abbey in the 1950’s, the walls connected the north and south stable courtyards to the House.
The two walls are each approximately 85m long and 4m tall. They are faced with Totternhoe stone and are in very poor condition; the masonry is rapidly falling away in places and the walls have a significant lean to them.
Nick Cox Architects have been working closely with the Bedford Estate and Price & Myers to develop proposals to take down and rebuild the two walls to reinstate them to their original form and remove the health and safety risk they pose to visitors. The challenge has been to develop a suitable structural solution that supports the walls without compromising the original architectural design.
Listed Building Consent has been granted to replace the Totternhoe stone with Portland stone, Portland being a much more durable stone.