Cragside Roof Project

Haunching helps protect the area around the base of the chimney pot and the surrounding brickwork. Using a strong mortar mix, masons carefully shape a sloping surface to match the hexagonal chimney crown, directing rainwater away and helping to prevent water ingress.

Pepper-pot flue caps are being fitted to the tops of the chimneys to protect the House from wet weather, nesting birds, insects and debris from the surrounding woodland.

By preventing rainwater from entering the flues, they help protect the chimneys from deterioration. Over time, water ingress can weaken the structure by breaking down mortar and encouraging the formation of damaging salts. The caps also stop seeds taking hold in the chimney tops, while preventing birds from nesting and reducing the risk of insects entering the building that can damage the collection.

In some areas the exterior walls and roof line of the House is right up against the surrounding crag. When it rains water runs down the stone and on to the roof causing some wooden elements of its construction from the 1970s re-roof to weather and rot. Under the tiles are sarking boards and all have been inspected, with rotten ones removed and replaced with hard-wearing Douglas Fir. 

Masons marks are the signatures of stonemasons. Unique to each worker and often handed down through generations, these marks help to identify completed work. As the only mason mark discovered on the particular chimney, it suggests than an individual was in charge of its entire construction. 

High-up, the chimney stonework is exposed to the impacts of rain, storms, and wind. This has been worsened by hard cement mortar, applied in the late 20th century, trapping water and causing the face of the stone blocks to crumble. Some are so poorly corroded that they need to be replaced with carefully created replicas, using locally sourced stone and tooled by hand.

Removing the stones has uncovered carved numbers. It's believed these roman numerals were used by the original masons to mark each row of blocks that make up the chimneys. Unseen for around 150 years, this mark helped them to construct the giant jigsaw puzzle that formed each of the chimney stacks. 

The scaffold structure is now complete. Because Cragside House is a Grade I listed building, the scaffold cannot be attached to either the House or the surrounding Rock Garden. Instead, it has been designed as a vast free-standing structure that supports itself.

As the House evolved over several decades, it has multiple levels, hidden corners and unexpected angles. Working around these features required an intricate scaffold design, complete with numerous platforms and vertical access ladders.

Cragside’s roof project is paused until the end of July 2026 to protect the resident bat population living in the House.

A scaffolding tunnel has been installed between the archways of the House to ensue safe pedestrian access while work takes place overhead.  Scaffolding to the northern facade, facing the main car park, is now complete. Installation on the south-facing side, surrounding the main entrance, has paused at the halfway point, in line with the project schedule to ensure our resident bat population is not disturbed during their breeding season.