Crash Damaged Stone & Brickwork

Dangerous Damage to Stone Pillar & Brick Arch

The Umbrella Building is a well known community hub in Faversham, Kent. When a lorry collided with the Grade II listed granite gate post, it left it in a dangerous condition. As a building used by the public and run by a charity, fast and cost-effective repairs were required.

The insurance company’s initial assessment was that the pillar would need to be rebuilt. This would have caused serious disruption to nearby businesses, as well as impacting the historical integrity of the structure.

AWT’s repairs commenced within the week and were completed in 2 days.

The Structural Problem

A lorry collided with this substantial pillar, constructed from granite stone sets and topped with a stone capping, with a mid-height 30cm high stone section, thought to be an original anchor stone for a historic gate fixing. The gate pier and red brick wall are dated to circa 1880 and formed part of Kent’s famous Fremlin Brewery site.

Our specialist repair techniques make us the ideal choice for projects involving listed buildings and heritage properties. 

The location of the damage, adjacent to the pavement in Faversham town centre and at the entrance to a busy public building, made the work urgent.

The initial assessment by the insurance company suggested rebuilding the masonry. This would have required the additional cost of hiring a crane to lift the very heavy granite locks, as well as closing the adjacent access road. The road is the only access point for deliveries to the nearby Tesco superstore, so it would have caused significant disruption.

AWT’s repairs commenced within the week and were completed in 2 days. Our specialist tools and techniques allowed us to repair the pillar without the need for a crane. The adjacent access road remained open.

As indicated with red arrows, the impact caused the entire pillar to rotate from the central stone section by approximately 10cm/4 inches. This had dislodged the supporting steelwork of the adjacent brickwork arch. As a result, the arch partially dropped and was precariously lodged, posing a significant risk of imminent collapse.

The damaged masonry and stonework needed to be realigned, reinforced and repaired to make them safe and restore the appearance of the building, while preserving as much of the original, Grade II listed structure as possible.

The Structural Solution

AWT carefully deconstructed the brickwork arch, preserving as many of the original bricks as possible.

The stone pillar was realigned using AWT-designed hydraulic equipment. It was then strengthened by diamond drilling and injecting grouted ties. This reinforced the pillar without the need for visible fixings. The stone pillar was then repointed in a colour and style that matched the original mortar.

The brick arch was then rebuilt using traditional methods, and where possible, the original bricks and masonry. Coloured lime mortar was used to rebuild the brickwork arch on a new steel plate lintel for strength.

Damaged bricks were either repaired using AWT’s refacing method or replaced with carefully selected reclaimed imperial bricks from AWT’s stock. The repointing was matched to the existing brickwork in both colour and style.

AWT provides cost-effective structural repairs for a wide range of structural issues. Our specialist repair techniques make us the ideal choice for projects involving listed buildings and heritage properties. 

We work together with structural engineers, architects and project managers to find economical and effective solutions. We operate not only in Kent and London but across the whole of the South East of England.

To book a time for one of our surveyors to visit your property or to discuss your requirements, call us today on 01227 721 255, email us at enquiries@actionwallties.co.uk or use our contact form to get in touch.