The Essentials of Traditional Mortar Preparation, Performance and Use

Monday 8th June 2025

A two-day symposium taking place at The Deanery, York Minster. It includes a series of talks and hands-on practical demonstrations.

Tickets can be purchased for one or both days. IHBC members receive a £20 discount (discount ticket price is £100 for 1 day, or £175 for both). In association with The Building Limes Forum, York Minster and York Conservation Trust.

DAY ONE
Presentations:

Marie Jackson, Research Professor, Geology & Geophysics, University of Utah: Hydrated Lime Mortars with Reactive Aggregates in Roman Architectural and Marine Concretes: Ancient Materials and Recent Reproductions.*

Robyn Pender, Building Scientist, formerly with Historic England: The need for capillarity - moisture movement in porous materials. *

David Wiggins, Structural engineer CARE, Clach Conservation: The structural performance of traditional air lime building mortars.

Nigel Copsey, Stonemason and Building Conservator: Why fat limes were the preferred binder for above ground construction – workability, bond and durability of bond.

Mette Midtgaard, Wall-painting conservator, National Museum of Denmark: Historic lime-rich mortar – what can past practice teach us today?

Emilija Nikolic, Architect, The Institute of Archaeology, Belgrade: The Palette of Roman Mortars from Viminacium and the Roman Frontier, Serbia.

Alex Holton, Building Surveyor, English Heritage: Design and application of mortars for ruined sites

Nigel Copsey, Stonemason & Building Conservator: Traditional lime rich surface finish mortars, their like-for-like reproduction and sustainability

*Remote presentation


DAY TWO
Presentations:

Damien Condon, Plasterer, Calx Restoration and Vitruvian Lime: Dry slaking at scale for plasters and renders

Eoin Madigan, Stonemason, Madigan Traditional Masonry: Dry slaked mortars for building and pointing.

Brother Joseph (M. Carm), Mason and Builder: Building a new monastery in Wyoming - a journey through different mortars.

Liz Laycock, material scientist, Sheffield Hallam University: Early results from strength testing of hot mixed 4:1; 2:1; 1:1 lime: aggregate mortars.

Practical Sessions:

Practical demonstrations and hands-on opportunity led by Damien Condon, Eoin Madigan, Nigel Copsey, Richard Jordan, Lee Gillard, Andy O’Brien.

Demonstrations of rough-casting; lime and hair; lime: sand and earth-lime building mortars; roofing mortars, ash mortars, flintwork. Different slaking methodologies.

LUNCH AND REFRESHMENTS PROVIDED

IHBC North Branch: CPD Event

Practical Archaeology and the Planning Process
at the
Uncovering Roman Carlisle
Summer Dig 2025
on
27th June 2025

Rescuing Roman Remains

Proposals for a new pavilion at Carlisle Cricket Club in 2017, sparked of a planning requirement for a site evaluation by archaeologists from Wardell Armstrong LLP. They unearthed a Roman bathhouse, now the largest known building on Hadrian's Wall. This major discovery sparked a large-scale community archaeological investigation resulting in numerous significant finds. Returning to the site every year since 2021, the partnership of Carlisle Cricket Club, Cumberland Council, Tullie, and Wardell Armstrong LLP has brought hundreds of volunteers, The Diggers, to further explore the site, and to exhibit the discoveries to the world.

See the flyer andf links below for more information.

• The dig site is located at Carlisle Cricket Club, Cavendish Terrace, Stanwix, CA3 9NS, located on the north bank of the River Eden, west of Eden Bridge.
• What 3 words: future.other.rested
• Parking: the Carlisle Cricket Club will kindly allow us to park next to the site. There is no charge for parking, but please park considerately and note that you will be parked on grass. We take no responsibility for parked vehicles.
• Travelling by Train: Carlisle Citadel Station, Court Square, Carlisle CA1 1QZ is located 15-20mins walk south of the site. There are hourly services from Newcastle.
• Travelling by Bus: Carlisle Coach Station is at Lonsdale Street Carlisle CA1 1DB, 15mins walk south of the site.