Preserving the chimneys of Old College

Chimneys are integral to the skyline of Old College and their restoration is key to preserving its architectural integrity.

Across North and South Seddon, and the Ferguson block built in the 1890s, there are 17 chimney stacks, many with as many as 12 flues from open fireplaces and boilers deep inside the grade 1 listed building.

Built from sandstone and limestone and standing proud above Old College, they bear the scars of the harsh marine environment.

_{The hostile marine environment has not been kind}

Over the years, salt has penetrated the porous stone, crystalising and expanding, gradually eating away at their fabric.

The poor quality of construction work on some of the chimneys built before the 1870s has compounded matters, as has the inferior quality of the stone.

The lack of flue liners on others, that would have protected them from the corrosive effects of smoke, has added to the challenge of their restoration.

And, as if that wasn’t enough, the use of cement over the years, rather than lime mortar and plaster to repoint and patch up some of the damage, has prevented the stone from breathing.

The seagull nests havent helped either.

The chimneys reflect the history of Old College.

_{South Seddon, pre 1885}

In its early days as a hotel, before it became the University, four chimneys stood tall on the sea-facing side of South Seddon, serving individual fireplaces in the rooms below.

The University’s redevelopment of South Seddon into a science block after 1885 saw the introduction of a boiler and an early form of central heating.

No longer required, the chimneys were removed, though some of their workings were retained to provide ventilation.

_{South Seddon after being developed into a science block}

The big chimneys above the Seddon Room/Council Chamber worked off individual open fireplaces.

Open fireplaces also continued to be the order of the day in the Professors’ studies on the King Street side of the Quad that were built after the great fire of 1885 (add link https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/oldcollege/news/news-article/title-270094-en.html).

_{The three chimney stacks high above King Street}

These fireplaces fed into three four-meter high chimney stacks that are in the process of being dismantled and rebuilt, along with another on South Seddon.

With individual stones weighing up to 280 kilograms and each of the King Street stacks weighing in at over 10 tonnes, the work requires great skill and precision.

The complex geometry of the cut stone has also required detailed records to be kept for sourcing new stone, where the degradation has been too great for the original stone to be reused.

_{Work begins to dismantle and rebuild the King Street chimney stacks and looking down on one of them}

Not surprisingly, many of the quarries that provided stone in the second half of the 19^th century are no longer worked.

As many as 15 new samples have been sourced to match as closely as possible the original stone.

_{At nearly four metres tall, each of the King Street chimney stacks weighs over 10 tonnes. Where possible, the original stone has been retained.}

Another consideration is their ability to withstand the prom’s extreme coastal environment.

The final selection has been approved by the local planning authority and CADW.

_{New stone has been used on the chimney stack above the Seddon Room/Council Chamber. The stone has been matched as it would have been, not as it is now, and will weather with time.}

Needless to say, open fires will not be returning to the Old College.

Indeed, the thought of 140+ rooms being individually heated by an open fire would be the stuff of nightmares for any fire safety officer.

However, where possible the fireplaces will be retained as part of the building’s heritage, and the chimneys will provide natural passive ventilation.

They will also continue to vent as part of their long-term protection.

_{Matthew Dyer from Austin-Smith: Lord}

The work is being overseen the Old College project’s Conservation Architect, Matthew Dyer from Austin-Smith: Lord.

For Matthew, retaining the chimneys is key to preserving the architectural integrity of the Old College and part the building’s Gothic expression.