R.N Fear & Sons | Traditional Stonemasons

A Brief Portfolio Of Works Carried Out By R.N Fear & Sons Ltd

New Stone Cottage Holly Cottage @ Oxford, Stanton St.John

The above stone building is now nearing completion. The objective was to provide the client with a traditional stone building using traditional methods. All the walling has been coursed and dressed as would have been done on this type of building. A lime mortar mix has been used in conjunction with a suitable aggregate to give the building an aged appearance. The walling was carefully selected to provide contrast, rather than a uniformed coloured building like most new stone buildings. Great care has been taken to keep all joint sizes to a minimum, to provide a high quality look. The walling is an almost perfect match for the original cottage. It benefits from all the thermal efficiency of a new building but, externally it has an aged appearance, due to the way in which it has been constructed, and the careful selection of all materials. (new photos to follow).

	This limestone garage was constructed with a locally sourced limestone. The final finish which we felt would be appropriate was created with the use of a French drag. This finish gives a subtle one that helps the building look less stark and gives a more handcrafted finish.

This building was created using natural materials to subtly blend in with the existing stone buildings and surrounding limestone area of the Cotswolds.


	It was felt important that the joint size be kept to a minimum, to create a high quality finish, and give an impressive overall appearance.

The apexes seen above were worked in house, although not complex they have been finished to the highest of standards.


	All the stonework is carried out by ourselves as a family business; we pride ourselves in being able to provide a friendly and personal service.

This continuation of an existing stone wall at Coughton Court was carried out as part of a flood defence scheme for the National Trust. An exact match of the existing wall was required; we carefully sourced the right colour and type of stone, to recreate a wall that, in time, will be indistinguishable from the original.

The wall was constructed using an appropriate lime mortar mix, and was textured and finished in accordance with the existing wall

This wall was built using traditional methods, each individual piece of stone was painstakingly pitched (tooled) and banded to replicate the existing walling.

St. Martins @ Barcheston (Shipston upon Stour)

A partial restoration / conservation programme was carried out to include the following:-

The louvers were replaced with split stone roofing tiles to match the originals. The tower was partially re-pointed to prevent further ingress of water. A small section on the merlon (castellated section) was pinned and pointed. One of the mullions had become too severely eroded and had become structurally unsound due to lamination and needed a replacement (the masonry above was carefully supported) which again was matched to the original. Mortar repairs were carried out to the rolls on the hood moulds to retain some of the detail of the building. Several of the stone copings were also replaced following the mould of the originals. The apex seen opposite was a direct copy of the original. The cross was copied from the remaining cross. All the work carried out was done sympathetically as is required for such buildings.

We also carry out much smaller works, like the replacement corbel and raking coping seen here. The exact same methods are employed as with any project undertaken. It was important to provide the correct stone sample to match all the existing stonework. A suitable lime mortar match was used.

St. Peter’s Church in Rugby

	This involved a full repoint of the South Chancel wall, it required extensive grouting, and stone replacements. A full conservation and restoration programme of works were carried out in order to prevent further water ingress and movement near the buttress. Along with a number of stone replacements.

The Royal Bath School A full programme of restoration and conservation was carried out including mortar repairs, fine crack repairs, dowelling of structural cracks to gargoyles. A lime mortar match and re-point was carried out using a specialist ash pigment (to match the existing lime mortar). The Mullions, tracery sections were fixed with stainless steel threaded bar using the drop dowel technique.

	Indents were cut out and moulded section let in to restore the overall appearance. A new pierced panelled section was fitted above the bay window whilst re-fixing was carried out The bay window near the main entrance was cleaned with specialist stone cleaning system. Repairs were carried out to the carved panels and new ones fixed. All the appropriate areas were grouted. In addition a new apex and cross were fitted and the copings re-set.

Larkstoke Barn nr Stratford on Avon

This rear elevation was re-built utilising traditional methods. The walling used was reclaimed from the original wall when taken down and then re-dressed. The careful selection of a suitable lime mortar and hand dressed stone helps to create a timeless appearance.

Hampton In Arden (church extension)

A carefully constructed sandstone extension to Hampton in Arden Church (grade 1*) was carried out , re-using the original tracery windows from the original gable.

Walling Samples Figures 1 & 2 show examples of dry sandstone walling
	fig.1
	fig.2
Figures 3 & 4 show the rebuilding of a blue lias wall adopting all traditional building methods; and the use of reclaimed lias and some of the original walling.
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	fig.4