Contractors have been appointed to get the weather vane atop Keswick’s Moot Hall back in working order.
The Battersby Hall Trust, the community-based charity which bought the building from Allerdale Borough Council in 2018, is funding a major £100,000 refurbishment of the historic building’s exterior.
“The Moot Hall is a very old building with little or no maintenance over the last 20 years and as the layers come off more issues are revealed,” said trust chairman Tony Lywood. “This time it’s the weather vane that we wish to get back into working order.”
“One interesting thing is the anchor at the top of the weather vane that may reference the connection that Keswick has with Greenwich Hospital, which was given the lands around Keswick, after Charles Radclyffe Earl of Derwentwater, who was beheaded in 1746 for his involvement with the Stuart uprising.
“Greenwich has always been associated with naval matters hence the anchor reference.’’
Workmen have reported that the central rod of the weather vane is not snapped but the timber final and boss below have decayed. Keswick based Packhorse Steel Ltd have been asked to restore the heavily corroded weather vane in their workshop.
The extent of decay on the clock face has been found to be ‘’considerable’’ and wet rot decay has got into the main back board as well as the edge detail.
It is to be completely renewed by Workington-based firm Stobbarts Ltd and they have sourced a sign writer to copy the lettering.
A clock specialist from Cumbria Clocks will attend as the hands will need to be removed and reinstated as part of the restoration.
The work is all part of much-needed works to restore and upgrade the outside of the 16th Century building which has been in a state of gradual disrepair for more than 20 years.
Other works include removing oil and polymer-based paint finishes from more than 100 years ago which have caused permanent damage to the original stonework underneath.
Repairs to the mortar pointing, based on traditional lime materials, are being instigated on the northern tower while a decayed roof purlin in the south-east corner is being replaced to restore structural integrity to the roof.
The original slates will be reinstated with no change in appearance.
The hall was originally a medieval courthouse, used by the manor of Castlerigg and Derwentwater, but over the centuries has been used as a storehouse, a market hall and a council chamber.
The current building, with its slate-built tower and distinctive one-handed clock, was constructed in 1813 by the trustees of Greenwich Hospital.
The ground floor is currently used as a tourist information centre, with a gallery on the first floor.
