Repair and Procurement for Ha-Ha, Beningbrough Hall

Evans & James were appointed by the National Trust to provide support for the repair, conservation and procurement for the Ha-Ha wall at Beningbrough Hall, North Yorkshire.

The project focused on the section of wall running around the outer perimeter of the Wilderness Garden. The wall is grade II listed and within the Grade II registered park and garden. It 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.

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.

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.

As the wall is a listed structure, we prepared a listed building consent application along with the required supporting documentation of design and access statement and heritage statement.

Running concurrently with the listed building consent application we developed a tender pack and issued the repairs to tender, meeting the contractors on site to discuss the repairs. A tender review process was undertaken and a tender report issued to the client.

With Listed Building Consent now approved, and the contract awarded to a local contractor, the National Trust will now be taking the repairs forward in Summer 2025.

For more information about our specification and procurement services, please visit our repair and conservation page.