Raising the roof at Ickworth

After the last areas of the roof were finished, we started to uncover the Rotunda, which had been covered with 270 miles of scaffolding for more than a year. Dismantling the scaffolding took five weeks and required an 80ft crane to remove parts of it. For the first time, the new roof was revealed.

The last slate was placed on the Rotunda's roof after a year-long programme to mend the roof. Thousands of new Westmoreland slates have been used to protect Ickworth for hundreds of years to come.

Ickworth is home to seven species of bats and to ensure they continue to have a home here at Ickworth, lead worker Karl made bat boxes to accommodate our furry friends in the roof. We hope to see them come back to their home during roosting season.

Once the sarking, felt and lead has been layered onto the roof it is now time for the slaters to start nailing the Westmoreland slate onto the roof. The slate ranges from 16.5 inches to 20 inches in size and some need be hand trimmed to get the exact size needed. Precision is vital to ensure the lines are straight. Working from the bottom upwards, slaters build ladders to make their way up the roof.

Construction workers begin to prepare the roof for re-slating. The preparation includes a process known as 'sarking' which will help the roof remain watertight and reinforce the slate. Sarking boards are attached to the rafters of the pitched roof to give extra protection and strength. It will also help even out the Rotundas undulations.

Lead workers will then lay lead on the 'apron' of the roof for additional protection to stop water ingress. This replaces the Welsh slate that was put down on the roof and comes as far up the roof as the parapet.   

With the scaffold in place, construction workers have started stripping the old slate from the roof, which is now nearly completely bare. Soon, 7,000 new slates will be placed on the roof.

This week we were visited by an 80m crane to lift a scaffold roof onto the Rotunda. The temporary scaffold roof has required the use of a large crane, over twice the size of the Rotunda, to lift the scaffold roof in 11 segments.

This week construction work starts at Ickworth as the assembly of scaffolding begins to take shape, including the delivery of a new project hub which will be built over the next few weeks. Ickworth will start to look very different so keep up to date on our social media channels and website.

Ickworth Uncovered, a project to repair the Rotunda roof at Ickworth, will be taking place over the next year. The project, which is costing just under £5 million, is possible thanks to the generosity of National Trust members and supporters, together with a fundraising appeal. Thanks to additional grant funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, alongside support from Arts Council England and the Wolfson Foundation, the Trust will also be able to offer visitors the opportunity to experience Ickworth in a completely new way, as well as share more about the project work.

Anne Jenkins, Director, England: Midlands & East, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: ‘Ickworth Uncovered will provide visitors with the perfect opportunity to get up close and personal to the fascinating conservation work, and enable them to explore the enviable collections and buildings of Ickworth, whilst learning new stories and discovering unseen treasures. We’re delighted that National Lottery money will open up these doors for a host of new audiences.’