Grade I listed, WW1 & WW2 military memorial for a charitable trust

Project background

A local charity responsible for the restoration and upkeep of military graves and memorials engaged Lime, Listed & Historical following a number of unsuccessful repointing attempts by other contractors. The memorial is a prominent community landmark and required sensitive, durable repair using materials and methods acceptable to the conservation officer.

Brief

• Remove failed or inappropriate pointing and reinstate neat, durable lime mortar joints compatible with the original marble fabric.
• Deliver a high‑quality aesthetic finish that respects the memorial’s historic character and the community’s expectations.
• Minimise disturbance to inscriptions and adjacent stonework; ensure site tidy and respectful throughout the works.

Investigation and approach

• Condition survey: Photographic record and mapping of defective joints, loss areas, biological growth and previous cementitious repairs. Assessment of stone type, bedding, existing mortar composition and moisture transfer characteristics.
• Materials specification: Specified a breathable, low‑strength lime mortar compatible with the original mortar and stone to avoid differential rigidity and salt trapping. Mix proportions and aggregate grading were selected to match colour, texture and workability.
• Methodology: To achieve exceptionally clean, defined joints we adopted a meticulous masking and repointing technique:
• Each joint was masked individually with low‑adhesion tape to protect adjacent stone faces and to create a crisp edge for the mortar bed.
• Defective mortar was carefully raked out by hand to a consistent depth, taking care not to damage arrises or inscription edges.
• Joints were brushed and flushed with clean water where appropriate to ensure good key and to avoid suction drawing from the new mortar.
• Lime mortar was compacted into the joint in matching lifts, tamped and tooled to the agreed profile. Where necessary, micro‑pointing and fine tooling produced a neat, weather‑shedding finish.
• Masking tape was removed at the appropriate time to leave sharply defined edges without smears.

Conservation officer and client engagement

• Trial and approval: A small trial area was completed and reviewed with the client and the conservation officer to confirm colour, texture and tooling profile.
• Access and respect: Works were programmed to cause minimal disruption to visitors and to respect the sanctity of the site; adjacent planting and memorial features were protected throughout.
• Communication: Regular updates and sample inspections were provided to the charity representatives and local stakeholders to ensure transparency and consent.

Outcome

• The repointing produced uniformly neat, well‑formed lime mortar joints that visually integrated with the stonework while restoring proper joint function. The careful masking technique ensured crisp mortar lines and avoided mortar smears on delicate inscription edges.
• The conservation officer, the client charity and local residents expressed strong satisfaction with the quality, sensitivity and appearance of the works.
• It was truly a pleasure to be trusted with and to work on this important project.
• On this occasion the weather and hand‑over timing meant we did not witness the joints in their fully dried, carbonated state on completion; nevertheless, materials and execution followed best practice to ensure correct long‑term performance as the mortar matures.

Materials & workmanship

• Breathable lime mortar (putty or NHL‑compatible mix specified to suit the stone).
• Hand tools for raking, brushing and compacting; low‑adhesion masking tape for defined joint edges.
• Trial panel, photographic records and full work schedule provided for archive.

Notes and recommendations

• Lime mortar continues to develop strength and colour as it carbonates; final appearance and durability should be reviewed once fully dry.
• Periodic inspection and gentle maintenance are recommended to ensure the long‑term weathering performance of the repointing.