Friday 13th March turned out to be a very good day for us – our first heritage building skills session with Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust sold out within two hours of going live. We hadn’t even had time to put it on our own website.
We opened a second date the same day. That sold out too.
About the sessions
Each session ran for two hours, led by Andrew Churchman, a historic building specialist with extensive experience working with old structures, and who is the builder bringing our knitting workshop back to life. The sessions covered how historic buildings actually work – breathability, heat sources, ventilation, and which materials are right for old buildings and which can cause long-term harm.
Andrew also took us through the specifics of the knitting workshop itself: how the floor has been carefully built up as part of the restoration, what we’ve done with the walls, and where we’re currently up to with the roof – the most complex phase of the project.
What we covered
🏗️ How old buildings breathe
Why breathability matters and what happens when it goes wrong
🌡️ Heat and ventilation
The right and wrong ways to heat and ventilate a historic structure
🧱 Materials
Which materials are appropriate for old buildings – and which to avoid
🏠 The workshop itself
The floor build-up, the wall work, and the ongoing roof project at Yew Tree Farm
More sessions coming
Due to the demand, we’re running several more sessions over the coming months. To keep up with new dates and to book your place, head to the Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust Eventbrite page and search for Stitching the Stones: Conserving the Knitters’ Legacy.
Thank you to Andrew Churchman and the DHBT team – and to everyone who came along on the day.
The Bonsall Framework Knitters’ Workshop restoration is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to preserve and share this piece of Bonsall’s history. The project is also supported by the Historic Houses Foundation.
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