By Dominic Echlin, Director, Narro Associates
At Narro Associates, we’ve long had a passion for old buildings. Whether it’s a medieval timber frame hidden behind a modern ceiling, a leaning churchyard tomb, or a centuries-old watermill, these structures carry stories that deserve to be cared for thoughtfully and responsibly.
Narro has five engineers who hold the Conservation Accredited Engineer (CARE) qualification, a specialist accreditation recognising expertise in the sensitive care of historic buildings. Our Newcastle team also has extensive experience working with a wide range of older and listed structures.
A hidden medieval timber frame – Saddler Street, Durham
Sometimes the most exciting discoveries happen by accident. During refurbishment works at a property on Saddler Street in Durham, builders removed a modern ceiling and uncovered a timber roof structure likely dating back to the late medieval period. It had been there all along, hidden from view. As repairs were required, the Local Authority specified that a conservationled approach should be adopted.
Working with Musson Brown Architects, our team was appointed to assess the condition of the timbers and develop a strategy to preserve them. We combined traditional survey techniques with handheld laser scanning – a technology that creates precise threedimensional records of a structure without physical contact – to document every beam, joint, and area of damage in detail.
Interestingly, many of the timbers appeared to have been reused from an even older building, a common practice in earlier centuries when good-quality timber was too valuable to waste. This added an additional layer of historical significance. Our repair strategy was guided by a simple but important principle: retain as much original material as possible. Where timbers were damaged, they were supported with supplementary timber rather than replaced. All repairs were designed to be reversible and clearly distinguishable from the original fabric, allowing future generations to understand what is historic and what is new.
Much of the project’s success was due to the skill and enthusiasm of the on-site carpenters, who took real pride in working with the historic timberwork and carefully considered every repair detail.
A tilting tomb and a church under investigation – St Andrew’s, Newcastle
St Andrew’s Church in Newcastle is one of the city’s four original medieval parishes, with parts of the building dating back to the 12th century. Its churchyard contains a number of historic monuments, including the table tomb of James Glynn, an iron founder from the Ouseburn Foundry who died in 1826.
Over time, the tomb had gradually tilted and settled, giving it a dramatic appearance. Working alongside architect Michael Atkinson and a team of archaeologists, we carefully dismantled the tomb and investigated the ground beneath to understand the cause of the movement. Our solution was deliberately low-impact. Rather than installing deep foundations or pouring concrete, which could have disturbed buried archaeology, the stone base was lifted and reset on a carefully prepared bed of compacted crushed stone. This approach solved the problem while respecting the historic fabric and archaeological context.
We are now turning our attention to the church building itself, where there are signs of cracking and movement within the stone walls. Like many historic churches, St Andrew’s has been altered and extended many times over the centuries. Understanding this complex history is essential in diagnosing why the building is behaving as it is today and determining whether intervention is required.
A riverside mill in need of care – The Old Fulling Mill, Durham
Located beside the River Wear at the foot of Durham Cathedral, the Old Fulling Mill is a Grade II listed building with origins in the 17th and 18th centuries. Durham University appointed us to undertake a detailed structural assessment to establish the building’s condition and identify appropriate repair options.
Our inspection identified several issues, including timber decay to first-floor joists, insect damage to roof timbers, and ground movement associated with an old culvert beneath the building that once carried the mill race. Each issue required specialist investigation to correctly diagnose the underlying causes. Our recommendations ranged from improving ventilation and reducing damp within the walls to commissioning a CCTV survey of the culvert to assess its condition internally.
This type of investigative work is at the heart of conservation engineering: understanding how a building has evolved over decades or centuries and identifying solutions that address defects without causing unnecessary harm.
Why conservation engineering matters
What unites these projects is a shared philosophy: take time to understand the building before intervening; keep repairs as minimal as possible (often reducing costs in the process); and always consider longterm performance. Historic buildings are irreplaceable. Once original material is lost, it cannot be recovered.
At Narro Associates in Newcastle, we combine rigorous structural engineering with a deep respect for historic fabric. Conservation engineering is painstaking work, but it is also immensely rewarding, helping to ensure that the North East’s remarkable built heritage survives for future generations to use and enjoy.
For more information contact Dominic Echlin, Narro, The Cluny Works, 36 Lime Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 2PQ on 0191 300 3514 or mail@narroassociates.com April 2026 159
