Boundary Wall

The Grade II listed west boundary wall of Bruce Castle is a fascinating survival of brickwork dating back to the 17th century, with much of its bonding typical of 18th century garden walls. 

What's happened to the wall? 

The wall as it stands today is comprised of two skins with a void in between, a header course on top and cement render on the east face between the piers. The cement render was a 20th century addition to the wall and at high level is heavily water stained throughout the length of the wall. The orientation of the wall, along with the non-moisture permeable cement and the presence of buddleia (a shrub) growing into the wall has caused significant moisture ingress which threatens its structural integrity.

Proposed solution

PAYE Stonework are undertaking repairs to the wall in collaboration with SKK Design with Haringey Council.

Heritage experts at Butler-Hegarty Architects had previously assessed many options to repair the wall, in conjunction with Historic England and Haringey Council's Conservation Team. The proposed works to the wall are as follows:

• Remove the cement render on the east face and repair the exposed brickwork
• Take down and rebuild the top of the wall, removing buddleia
• Take down carefully recording brick pattern and bricks and rebuild western bulges using salvaged bricks
• Consolidate the core of the wall and repoint brickwork using lime mortar

The aim of the repairs is the preservation of a fascinating fragment of Bruce Castle's history and to look after this Grade II listed heritage asset and to ensure it is not heritage at risk.

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