We are thrilled that Listed Building Consent has been granted for repairs to the grade II listed Ha-Ha wall at Beningbrough Hall, North Yorkshire. The application focuses on the section of wall running around the outer perimeter of the Wilderness Garden and the wall falls within the Grade II registered park and garden.
A Ha-Ha wall is a designed landscape feature which gives the impression of a continuous view or landscape whilst concealing the boundary treatment which can be a wall or fence. You can find out more about Ha-ha walls from the National Trust. The Ha-Ha at Beningbrough had been extensively re-built in the 1990s with a block work inner skin to provide structural integrity to retain the higher ground levels, however the ha-ha wall was found to be suffering from movement cracking and there were delaminated and missing bricks. The wall is unusual because only the upper courses are pointed, the lower brick work is bedded on cement but not pointed giving the impression of a dry laid wall.
Accompanying the listed building consent application we prepared and submitted the following supporting documents:
- Schedule of works
- Design and Access Statement
- Heritage Statement
After undertaking a site survey, we determined that the cause of the cracking was a result of poor drainage provision between the higher ground levels, block inner skin and brick outer skin. This was placing pressure on the structure manifesting with movement cracking, along with areas of saturation of brick work. This movement was also occurring to the flanking walls to the steps leading to the upper terrace.
Evans & James developed a full schedule of works for the repairs which was based on a holistic approach to provide minimal and discreet interventions. This included the introduction of regular drainage holes to help release pressure behind the walls, along with raking out cracked joints and leaving them as natural expansion gaps. Delaminated and missing bricks were specified for replacement using an on-site stockpile of bricks. The flanking walls to the steps leading to the Wilderness Garden were also suffering from movement and we specified for the Western wall to be dismantled and re-built with provision for drainage and the coping to the Eastern wall to be lifted and re-bedded.
Listed Building Consent was granted for the repairs to the Ha-Ha wall in July 2025 with no conditions over and above standard conditions. In addition to the Listed Building Consent application, we also provided support in procurement of the works, conducting a tender exercise and analysing and seeking tender clarifications before developing a tender report for the National Trust. The National Trust will now be taking the repairs forward through to implementation in Summer 2025.
For more information about how we can assist with Listed Building Consent applications click here.
