One of the district’s most “precious heritage assets” will soon undergo major repairs to help secure its future.
Ilkley Manor House is one of the most protected historic buildings in the Bradford district. The house is Grade I listed and dates back to the 1390s – and was built on the site of a Roman Fort.
The building is currently one of the town’s major tourist attractions, operating as a gallery, museum and event space.
Last year, a tile fell off the Manor House’s roof, leading to it being listed as a dangerous building. A survey by the Ilkley Manor House Trust found that major repairs were needed to the roof to secure it’s future – works that would cost around £100,000.
A listed building application for the work has now been submitted by owners Bradford Council, and details the works that are needed to fix the roof.
It also lays out the the significance of the building to the district’s history saying:
“Ilkley Manor House is a precious historic asset, built as it is within the footprint of a Roman Fort; it is highly unusual to have a Grade 1 listed building on top of a designated Ancient Monument.
“The presence of the historic All Saints Church next door suggests that Ilkley’s civil and religious masters in the early Middle Ages were capitalising on the prestige of Ancient Rome by building on the same site.
“Ilkley Manor House is a text-book illustration of how English houses developed between the Middle Ages and the ‘early modern’ period.
“Ilkley is considered by historians most fortunate to have such a gem in its midst.”
Detailing what is needed to repair the roof, the application says the existing tiles and period materials will be reused once the repairs are complete.
“The roof was repaired in the 1970s, however the nails used to fix the stone slates were too long.
“As a result the roofing membrane has been punctured and the tiles have been rocking on protruding nail heads. Over time this has caused damage to the tiles and made them unstable. Some tiles have slipped causing a hazard to visitors to the building.
“Initial exploratory surveys indicate that other sections of the roof need repairing to prevent further deterioration and water ingress.
“It is recommended that a more comprehensive inspection of the concealed roof timbers is made to assess the timber condition, potential decay, and any hidden issues that may require attention. The intention is that the existing features will be retained and there will be no visual change to the building internally or externally.”
During the work roof tiles will be “carefully removed” and stored.
A decision on the application is expected next month.
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