It's all in the detail for Devon building firm

A TEAM of Devon builders has developed an eye for the tiniest detail after winning a contract to repair one of the south west’s most prestigious properties.

Woofenden Construction, which is based in Kentisbeare, near Cullompton, has won a contract to repair the historic ceilings of grade I listed Dorset property, Kingston Maurward House.

More than £130,000 of damage was caused when a broken pipe in the roof of the prestigious property, which is just outside Dorchester, flooded through the three storey building. Gallons of water poured through the three floors for around an hour before it was shut off.

Richard Ireland, the UK’s leading historic plaster and paint expert, was called in to assess the damage by Kingston Maurward’s insurance company. He said quick thinking staff took action to limit the worst of the damage, mopping floors, lifting carpets and working to dry out the damaged areas as quickly as possible.

Now Woofenden Construction, which specialises in historic building repairs, has been working on the property in consultation with Mr Ireland, who has given specialist advice around the repair of the grade I listed ceiling.

And the flood may have brought some benefits - analysis of the paintwork in the hall revealed the decoration to be more recent - so the hall will now be reinstated to its appropriate more muted colour scheme.

Kingston Maurward College Principal, Clare Davison, said: ‘This discovery means that what could have been a disaster has actually turned into an opportunity to give the house a much needed facelift, coinciding with prearranged restoration of the Conference Centre which commenced in December and is expected to be finished by the end of the year.’

Russell Mirams, Woofenden Construction’s project manager, said his team had received training and guidance from Mr Ireland.

He said: ‘The main focus of the conservation work has been on the entrance hall and the building’s Pengelly Room. Our team has had to work on the tiniest detail, filling in cracks in the ceiling which are as small as one millimetre and preparing the surface for a specialist artist who will hand paint the ceiling and restore it to its former ornate finish.

‘The Pengelly Room is a historically important room. It is particularly special because of its richly painted and gilded plasterwork.’

Kingston Maurward was built in 1717-1720 for George Pitt, it has been remodelled over the years. It was bought by Cecil Hanbury in 1914 and was requisitioned during the Second World War and used as a base in preparations for the D-Day landings. The property was later sold to Dorset County Council for use as a farm institute. It went on to become an agricultural and horticultural college in 1949 and continues to operate as that today.