Sockburn Hall Project :: Update 41

Hello!

Pleased to bring you an - albeit belated - update from the most recent Sockburn Hall Project Working Weekend.  Out photos have made their way onto Flickr.  You can see the pictures on www.flickr.com/groups/sockburn.

Sockburn Hall Project's 29th Working Weekend

Another weekend with wonderful weather – the north-east is very good to us!  A huge thank you to all our volunteers, regular and new who turned out to help us at Sockburn and, as always, made it a very productive and most important, a fun weekend.

[Some of Sockburn Hall Project's volunteers in the field]

Many of us had the Neasham road closure to contend with – fortunately, we managed to get the word out to everyone and now we are all much better acquainted with Middleton St George and the location of supermarkets and DIY stores on the edge of Darlington!

It was primarily a maintenance weekend – grass was cut and tidied on the river bank, in the area that was seeded earlier in the year – whatever that grass seed was it grows well!  Nettles and weeds aren’t getting a look in!

Crazy paving in the former ornamental garden were cleared, it’s a shame that there are still a lot of leaves to come down because it looked so neat and tidy. We had a couple of good fire raisers in our midst, the bonfire was taken care of and as always, at Sockburn, was a constant source of attention.  In addition, a group headed off down the field to finish some clearing that had been started in the summer, of fallen trees.  Great progress and another bonfire was made down there and it’s all looking a lot better now. 

[Test area ground cover in the churchyard]

A couple of our volunteers, under the guidance of English Heritage, have taken on the responsibility of the grounds of All Saints’ Church.  A test area, around the Blackett Memorial, was fenced off in the summer, to see what would grow there, amongst the plants that did grow was Pellitory-of-the–Wall (Parietaria) commonly seen around churches and old walls, and which we have regularly seen on the walls of the church at Sockburn.  Plants that are non-invasive, that will create ground cover and are appropriate to the surroundings are being encouraged and replanted from other areas along with Wild Strawberries and Feverfew and other low growing plants.  We hope to establish low maintenance ground cover to enhance the appearance of that lovely church yard.  Further trimming of the fruit trees and clearing of scrub type growth was carried out and some material has been left to form wildlife habitats.

[Dusk at the Coach House: roof strengthened and weather-
proofed at the end of the Working Weekend.  Original tiles
were secured in place, or saved where possible for future re-use.]

A couple of our volunteers carried on with their work of making the Coach House roof more weather proof – impressive results and very useful work as it is hoped it will also contribute towards saving the roof of the building.  And others checked our concealed gutters around the house for leaves and debris – of which there is always plenty.

The driveway was also cleared of leaves to enable surface water – we know rain will come – to flow towards the drains and perhaps prevent pooling on the drive – well, there’s no harm in hoping!

We also had visitors to see the Church, including a Danish lady who asked us to be careful about what we said about the Vikings!  We were particularly pleased to welcome the Chair of The Friends of Teesside Archives and her husband on an informal visit.

[Side view of glass tubes]

[Some of the hundreds of glass tubes
found in the Coach House roof space]

Lastly, another obscure Sockburn find... The glass tubes, pictured right, were found in the Coach House roof space, wrapped in newspaper dated 1921.  Do you know what use they might have been intended for?  Have you seen something like them before?  Do email sockburn@gmail.com us to let us know! 

Come visit Sockburn for a festive Working Day 

Our next Working Weekend is for a day only, Saturday 3 December.  We’ll be on site from 10am – 4pm.  We hope to have an early festive feel and not too much hard work!  But as always, strong shoes or boots are essential and be prepared for any weather conditions.

If you would like to visit, to see how we are getting on, or to buy any of our books, please try and make it around coffee time (11.30am) and if possible, let us know by phoning Sarah 07933 320242 that you hope to come so that we know to look out for you.  If you plan to bring a group of visitors, it is important that you let us know, in advance, by emailing sockburn@gmail.com or phoning Sarah, so we can be prepared and allocate time for you.

[Sockburn wellies, photo: Sheila Maclean]

Thank you again, to everyone who came to help, whether this was your first visit or your 'umpteenth', thank you for giving up your weekend, or part of it and we very much hope that we will see you again, and well done to the two intrepid volunteers who camped.

Look forward to seeing you next time – enjoy the autumn!

Sarah, Laura and Sockburn Hall Project Team x