Elizabethan House set for work

Specialists architects DHV Architects (Dittrich Hudson Vasetti) will be carrying out investigative works on Plymouth’s Elizabethan House project.

The Bristol based firm will be carrying out an explorative programme of work to get the full picture of the extent of the repairs required.

This initial phase could take up to six months and will mean that some internal and external finishes are removed to reveal the core structure of the house.

Councillor Glenn Jordan, Cabinet Member for Culture, said: “When you look at Plymouth's history, the Elizabethan time is a big part of that and the fact that we've still got an Elizabethan house in the city is something we need to preserve and use to its full effect.

“DHV have recently worked on a Tudor property in Southampton so have some experience in this type of building and come highly recommended.”

The house has been owned by the Council since 1929 when it was saved from demolition by public donation.

A significant amount of work was carried out in 1929 to restore it as well as other maintenance works throughout the remainder of the century. Some of these repairs have not been sympathetic to the original structure and have led to its current condition issues.

The council has set aside £1.4 million to repair the Elizabethan House and the Merchant’s House in St Andrew Street.

Scaffolding will be needed to be erected to enable works to the front and west elevations of the house and as a result, New Street will be closed to vehicles from the first week of January until June 2019. Residents and businesses nearby have received letters to inform them of the closures.

Once the house has been restored it will be refitted as a museum exhibition space and opened to the public in time for the Mayflower 400 celebrations. The concept for exhibition is currently being developed.