Client:
Private Client, Oxford
Project:
Sluice Repair and Construction of Raised Oak Walkway
The property is located in Oxfordshire, on a chalk mill stream which feeds the River Thames.
There was poor access to part of the garden across the river with the only access requiring a long walk around the property, leading to the area being unmanaged and unused.
Prior to Terraqua’s arrival, there were structural issues within the left-hand wing wall of the side stream, caused by two large ash trees, whose roots had worked their way through the stonework and subsequently weakening it. Also, an old, damaged steel sluice leading to a mill race was in need of replacement so that the house owners could control the flow, through the race, when needed.
Due to the strong current which cascades through the mill race, voids had formed within the downstream stonework, washing a path along some willow tree roots through the softer soil behind, which was also to be addressed.
The mill house was once a working watermill, which leads it to now being a Grade II listed building, and this had to be considered throughout the entirety of the works.
The mill race wingwalls were stripped of ivy and repointed to prolong their integrity while the main mill race walls were underpinned with concrete sandbags, preventing further undercutting of the structural walls.
Within the mill race itself, four oak struts were replaced which had been worn away by the flow over time. These new struts provide support for the flow boards which can now be utilized again to alter the flow if required.
Additionally, there were five large trees were removed, along with their stumps, and disposed of offsite. This resulted in the area being opened up allowing sunlight to reach the grass and marginal plants, creating a user-friendly area, while significantly reducing the maintenance cost of the property.
In removing these stumps, the left-hand wing wall of the channel was almost destroyed, therefore we dammed off the river to allow us to rebuild it with both reclaimed existing and locally sourced Cotswold Stone. This allowed the downstream stone walkway to be dismantled and rebuilt, filling the voids created by the removed tree roots with mass poured concrete, to prevent a repeat scenario.
We installed a sustainably sourced, fresh sawn, oak bridge and boardwalk across both the main river and side channel, using a five tonne excavator to help with placing the main support beams. This was a tricky installation, with no level surfaces to work from.
The oak bridge required bespoke estate fencing handrails to be installed to tie in with the listed buildings requirements and comply with British Standards. This structure solved the access issue, adjoining both sides of the garden while still fitting in with the constraints of the listed property.
While these works were progressing, the river embankment was regraded to create a more gradual, user-friendly gradient, while generating topsoil to give a smooth, plant friendly grade to the finished works.
Additional Work
On completion of the works, an estate fencing style gate was installed where we had previously removed some fencing to gain access with machinery, creating smoother access for the clients and future contractors.
Client Testimonial
“We were very impressed with the Terraqua team who were friendly, courteous and conscientious throughout the job, despite the sometimes difficult conditions. Communication was excellent and we were very happy with the finished result which exceeded our expectations and has transformed our outdoor space. The team paid particular attention to detail and created elegant solutions to keeping the work in line with the listed building requirements. We now have a truly bespoke bridge and walkway which we now use every day.
PS: I would like to extend particular thanks to Mike and Elliot for helping me with my escaping sheep which was really above and beyond the call of duty.”