Things Found

 

There’s a palpable sense of change around Betley Court. Midland Conservation Ltd are coming to the end of their time on the rebuild, and we’ll miss their presence on site. Lots of ‘finishing off’ jobs are being ticked off; windows installed, pointing raked out and filled, debris swept and disposed of. Soon (ish – you’ve always got to allow for those unexpected delays!) the outside repairs will be complete and we can get on with the interior.  

Nigel’s brothers joined us from Scotland and Australia to make serious decisions about how we proceed. It is amazing to be at this stage just  three and a half years after the fire!

We’ve been having a general sort out, finding homes for bits and pieces that have come to light during the rebuild. I thought this week, I’d share some of my favourite Betley Court finds:

Bow tie joint

The round window on the first floor of the 'factory' Photo: Phillip Bailey

Phillip Bailey, our conservation joiner brought this curiosity to our attention when he began the refurb of a round window in one of the apartments. A bow tie joint (also referred to as a Dutchman joint) is used to join two pieces of wood together and is often used decoratively in high end joinery. Here, four bow tie joints have been used to fasten four curved sections of timber to create a round window in what was once the drying room on the first floor of the ‘factory’ (servants’ wing). The ‘bow’ parts of the joint act as anchors, ensuring the joint cannot ease apart; ideal in a window frame! It is a surprisingly decorative joint for a humble window. Of the ninety-nine windows in Betley Court, this is one of my favourites.

Detail of a bowtail joint - the shape gives it its name (Photo: Phillip Bailey)

Stair spindle

Spindle fragment (top) and stringer decoration (bottom) photo: Su Hurrell/Ladybird Su

Mark Evans, our conservation architect, returned three fragments from the grand staircase that once stood in the main house. Two are the fragments of the singular spindle retrieved from the ashes. The other piece is and ornamental piece of carving that decorated the stringer. What’s lovely about these pieces is the intricate carvings of plants in the oak pieces. The spindle has acanthas leaves and ferns carved into it, along with delicate fluting. The decorative stringer has a large unfurling leaf, possibly a fern framing a large flowerhead, with carved daisies and leaves filling the space around it.

Fern and acanthus leaves on the spindle (photo: Su Hurrell/Ladybird Su

Professor Brown was very proud of this staircase, particularly as each stringer was decorated with a different flower; quite an unusual if not unique feature! I enjoyed that fact that each flower was a recognisable and distinct flower, not a generic bloom. Each flower exemplified the craftsman’s skill at carving in oak, which is, when seasoned, very hard to work with.

Flower detail on stringer decoration

From memory, there was a rose, daisies, and peony. In retrospect, it seems unbelievable that we never made a better photographic of the staircase, but then, even in our worst nightmares, we never imagined a fire on a scale that would make such a record necessary.

Minton tiles

Smoke damaged Minton tiles red/brown/green and black (photo: Su Hurrell/Ladybird Su)

Shane recovered these tiles during the demolition stage of the work on Betley Court. They are badly smoke damaged, but a quick clean with water reveals they are Minton tiles. Minton tiles made in Stoke-on-Trent grace floors all over the world including flooring in the US Capitol, many cathedrals, and stately homes. During the first phase of the rebuild, large plywood sheets were laid over the top of the surviving tiles to protect them. Fingers-crossed, enough tiles remain in situ for it to be worthwhile to repair the floor.  These tiles will be cleaned up and used to patch up damaged, when we get around to it.

Cognac

Around the time of the fire, I wrote a post about an expedition we made to inspect the cellars to find out if any of the bottles of spirits had survived. Somewhat foolishly, Nigel and his older brother ventured into the cellar vault via a hole in the floorboards under the former study, and the Brown family formed a human chain to lift bottles of port and other spirits out. We were amazed that most of the bottles came out unscathed, and took them to our house to store in our more modest cellar. To be honest we’d forgotten about them until the brothers’ visit last week, when it was suggested, it might be a good time to toast the end of the first stage of the rebuild. Denton’s Remy Martin XO Special fine Champagne cognac was chosen and everyone was pleasantly surprised how well it survived. A lovely way to toast this first accomplishment!

Builder’s mug

Finally, not so much of a treasure, as an amusing find. As I showed our youngest around the second floor, she spotted a builder’s mug perched up in the roof on a wall by a rafter, high in the 'factory'. It must’ve been left there by a builder way back in the first stage of the roof rebuild. Its above a stair well, and most likely will remain there for eternity, once it is entombed by plasterboard. Or discovered by a roofer or builder many years from now!

All best wishes

Ladybird Su