Background
Archbishop Holgate Hospital is a historic building in Hemsworth, West Yorkshire. It was completed in 1859 in the Victorian Gothic style and is now a Grade II Listed Building.
Archbishop Holgate Hospital Trust provides Almshouses for elderly vulnerable local people who are in need and local young people who need financial assistance in their education. The hospital provides 24 Almshouses across 13 acres of wooded grounds.
The Trust’s founder was Robert Holgate, who was Archbishop of York 1545-1553 and decreed in his will that Almshouses should be built to provide for needy persons over 60 years of age from the ancient parishes of Hemsworth, Felkirk, South Kirkby and Wragby.
The site also contains a Grammar School called Archbishop Holgate School and Archbishop Holgate Hospital Museum which is cared for and curated by their resident archivist and run in partnership with Pontefract Historical Society and Wakefield City Archives.
Situation
The Trust were in need of over 100 new timber windows at the back of the building. The existing windows were draughty and worn with peeling paint and rusting hardware and one broken window that was boarded up.
PPIY Architects are a long-established RIBA Chartered architectural practice in the historic City of York, offering highly specialised services to their clients from a range of sectors, including community, conservation and heritage, ecclesiastical, residential, education and transport.
Patchett Joinery were approached by PPIY Architects to create and install replacement windows for the beautiful Victorian building in Hemsworth.
Patchett Joinery is a small family-run business, established in 1840. We specialise in crafting beautiful timber windows and doors in historic buildings and for houses in conservation areas, replicating windows and doors that fit with the original look and feel of the building. Combining the carefully honed skills of timber craftsmen with the latest advances in technology, Patchett Joinery is where heritage meets innovation – est. 1840.
The solution
We hand-crafted and installed our Heritage Flush Casement windows for the back of the property, all made with Accoya timber and Pilkington S1 thermal glass finished in white. All of the windows had black period bulb end handles and heritage hardware supplied by Traditional Window Fittings.
Our Heritage Flush Casement window was developed to provide the same sleek look as a flush casement but with traditional butt hinges and peg stays. The slimmer profile means that it replicates the original look of windows in historic buildings but they are also a great practical choice and let in more natural light.
As the building was listed, the design of the windows was bespoke to Archbishop Holgate Hospital, with adapted section sizes and closely replicated original details.
Accoya is an ultra-high-performance timber crafted from sustainable wood, selected for its exceptional durability and stability. It comes with a 50-year above-ground warranty, providing complete confidence that your Accoya wooden windows will withstand the test of time. Additionally, Accoya wood offers superior thermal conductivity compared to hardwood, making it an ideal choice for energy efficiency. It also has excellent paint retention meaning it needs less frequent coating and maintenance.
Pilkington Opitherm S1 Plus is a high-performance glass with an incredibly low U value. This contributes to the reduction of heat loss leading to energy savings.
Service
All of the Heritage Flush Casement windows were handmade at our West Yorkshire workshop by our timber craftsmen to keep with the original look of the Victorian Gothic style building, whilst meeting modern performance standards.
Once the windows were ready, our team of skilled joiners removed the existing windows and doors, disposed of them off-site and then carefully installed the new heritage windows. They also added a mastic seal to the external windows. We provided our Gold-level installation package, giving the added benefit of Building Regulation Approval and internal trim fittings.
Outcomes and impact
The windows replaced by Patchett Joinery are guaranteed for 50 years against preservative failure, with a 10-year guarantee on double-glazing and 12 years on paint.
