Build Week 4, 11th March 2019
Build Week 4 underway.
We start this week with the goal of raising the 3 large central Roof Posts and to fit the ring beam to tie all three together. If that goes well, then we’ll also be making a start on raising some of the wall posts.
The weather could be a limiting factor though as the forecast is all about hail and strong winds - yuk!
We begin the week by setting out our plan and the requirements to make it a success. Lifting several tonnes of oak high up in the air and balancing it on its end is not straight forwards or without dangers.
Monday and Tuesday is therefore all about preparations:
- make the site a safe work area for the upcoming efforts
- select timber and then build various cross-frames to use in our lifting efforts
- re-model the post holes with ramps to aid in our lifting efforts
- rig ropes and other tackle ready for the lift
For those not directly involved in those tasks there was plenty of other work:
- Strip more bark
- Manufacture the tenons and mortices on the tops of the various Wall Posts
- Continue the dead hedge around the site to provide a clear demarcation between what is and is not a building site. This is in preparation for Beeston Castle opening for 2019’s Visitors.
- Strip more bark
Some of the Ash Poles (8m+ long) to be used as Roof Beams. We’ve also obtained a quantity of Hazel Poles to make into Roof Spars. Striping bark is a never ending task.
About 120m of Dead Hedge created to protect the site and to try and avoid visitors falling down the many (14) Post Holes, which are at least 1.5m deep. Also, there’s about 35m of woven fencing to repel invaders.
Some careful positioning of the Roof Posts was required. The X-Frame was to lift the post to such an angle that it could be located on the ramp with its foot at the bottom of its Post Hole. This was to give us a better angle for lifting it to its final position and also to help prevent the post from just sliding across the ground as we tried to lift it. By the end of Monday, we had the site almost ready for the lift. Still some tidying to do. But nearly there.
Normally, the site is limited to no more than about 20 people so as not to compromise safety. Tuesday saw an extra 30 people arrive over our normal compliment. They were from our Occaisional Builders and Explainers Teams. Their role was to provide extra rope pulling power when the big lift would get underway.
Their help would be invaluable, but they had also been warned that the day will consist of lots of fits and starts. Short bouts of excitement between long periods of inactivity and boredom. Fortunately, they are an understanding group and English Heritage had secured a Portacabin for the duration of the Project for Team Members to take shelter in. It was also very well equipped with Tea, Coffee and a biscuits!
Just to make all the additional volunteers present know that we have got this all effort thoroughly planned, we put up a new Site Safety Notice especially for them.
This video (excuse the quality) shows our first failed attempt to raise a Roof Post. But as they say, every failure is also a learning opportunity.
But after some thinking… A certain amount of replanning and redisposition of troops and resources… An entirely different outcome was achieved By the end of the day all 3 posts were vertical.
The last Post up was a still bit wobbly and I was asked to stabilise it while the rest of the Team decided on what to do.
Trouble is they decided to to do their planning down at the local Pub. I was left there all on my own for blinking ages #School-Boy-Error!!!
Just a little bit of information to properly round out all that occurred during the day… Beeston Castle also hosted two delegations from the Met Police Close Protection Squad. We helped them out in the final assessments of new Officers by performing as unruly crowds and “attacking” their VIP! (with a rubber imitation hand axe)
Interesting times.
Work for Wednesday and Thrusday has been cancelled due to the high winds and Beeston Castle is closed.
Progress on Friday, after the winds had died down, was at a pace. By the end of the day, we had about two-thirds of all the Wall Posts vertical as well.
Space is tight when holding up a wall post and others are tamping the post hole in-fill to consolidate the erection. #trusting Committee Meeting… Do you know what it is yet? Surveying our progress. An alternative view via some wide-angled artistry
A good amount of progress, overall.
So let’s end with a little bit of moody photography work by Dave Trevor
Last modified on 2019-03-17