Cumbria Roofing revisits the Bayfordbury Mansions in Hertfordshire
The Bayfordbury Mansions before restoration and conversion to prestige houses.
Back in 2011, Cumbria Roofing was awarded the contract to reroof Bayfordbury Mansions. The Grade II* Listed Building was converted into five houses in 2006. Developed by Wilson Properties, London, Bayfordbury Mansions consists of four, five and ten bedroom houses. At 2016 prices, rents start from £3,250 per calendar month. In our county, £3,250 per calendar month can get you a five bedroom barn conversion in Barrow-in-Furness (£2,400; a saving of £850 plus an extra bedroom).
Cumbria Roofing was called upon to restore the mansion’s roofing. Due to an infestation of the roof timbers, the whole roof needed replacing. The best material for Bayfordbury Mansions was nothing other than Westmorland random green slate tiles. This was redressed and replaced, with Lewis Cunningham our site foreman. The project was completed in March 2015.
About the Bayfordbury Mansions
The Bayfordbury Mansions was built by Sir William Baker in 1759, a London merchant and politician of note. He was one of the richest men of the 18th Century. It was extended by his son, William Baker II MP between 1809 and 1812. His development saw the addition of a gallery, for his ‘Kit-Cat’ portraits, and the Great Library.
The 372-acre grounds were purchased from the Baker family in 1948 by the John Innes Centre. The John Innes Centre developed the estate as a School of Cytology. 1959 saw the addition of a Cell Biology building. In 1967, they moved to Norwich, with Hatfield Polytechnic (now the University of Hertfordshire) its subsequent occupants.
Two years on, the polytechnic set up the Bayfordbury Observatory. Today it has seven telescopes. In 1986, the mansions were sold by Hatfield Polytechnic, with the purchasers turning Bayfordbury Mansions into their company headquarters. The following year saw the buildings granted Grade II Listed Building Status. The start of the 21st Century saw its sale to Wilson Properties, leading to its present use.
Our attention to detail came to the fore with this project. A lot of it was a testament to Lewis Cunningham’s skills and our company’s status as Craft Roofers.
Cumbria Roofing, 08 February 2016.
Image by Christine Matthews, CC BY-SA 2.0, (Creative Commons License – Share Alike)
