Martin Brooks (Roofing Specialists)

The merry men at Sheffield roofing specialists, Martin-Brooks, have landed a pair of projects with a coincidental connection to local folklore hero, Robin Hood.



The firm’s heritage roofing experts are helping to restore and maintain Kirklees Priory and the church in Hathersage where Robin of Loxley and Little John are buried respectively.



Martin-Brooks has embarked on an eight-week project to refurbish the roof on the gatehouse at Kirklees Priory in Clifton, West Yorkshire, which is all that remains of the Cistercian nunnery where Robin was allegedly bled to death by the prioress. Legend has it, he shot an arrow through the building’s window, to mark where he wished to be buried and a monument believed to be his grave can be found nearby on the estate.



Working with main contractor, Historic Property Restoration, Martin-Brooks is re-roofing the now derelict grade I listed gatehouse using reclaimed stone slate from the site and its in-house stocks. In addition, it is carrying out traditional leadworks to help preserve the property and bring it back into use.



The firm also enjoys close links with St Michael’s and All Angels church in Hathersage, where the gravestone of Little John, Robin Hood’s closest companion, is located. Its craftsmen were called in recently to repair storm damage to the Westmorland slate roof and have undertaken various work at the grade I listed, 14th century church for many years.



Dale Wright, Martin-Brooks’ contracts director, said: “Our heritage work takes us to various sites across the country with interesting tales to tell, but this is the first time two entirely separate projects have been so closely interwoven. The legend of Robin Hood is synonymous with our home city of Sheffield and it is a pleasure to be preserving key links to the story for future generations to enjoy.”



Kirklees Park is a working farm estate so access is restricted for safety reasons. Guided tours are available via www.calderdaleheritagewalks.org.uk

Sheffield-based Martin-Brooks is in the running for a prestigious national award celebrating exceptional standards of workmanship in the roofing industry.



The firm is one of four shortlisted for the National Federation of Roofing Contractors’ (NFRC) heritage roofing award for its recent work at the Welbeck Estate near Worksop.



Martin-Brooks’ craftsmen have restored the roof on the historic Poultry House, which is being redeveloped into a children’s nursery as part of the Welbeck Project. It involved removing the existing coverings and replacing the highly decorative finish with as much salvaged material as possible.



Ridge tiles used on the building are exclusive to the Welbeck estate and comprise five separate cast iron elements. Each one had to be dismantled and reassembled, taking care not to damage any parts, as replacements are virtually impossible to obtain. Likewise, handmade clay tiles used to cover the roof are laid in a distinctive pattern, so these too had to be removed and re-fixed in exactly the same way. Approximately 80% of the existing roof was salvaged, with reclaimed materials making up the rest.



In addition, Martin-Brooks’ heritage team replicated original detailing on the underside of the roof, torching a lime mortar mix to the tiles instead of using underfelt. All cast iron guttering was also replaced with specially-made profiles to match the patterns that, again, only occur on the Welbeck estate.



Nick Brooks, Martin-Brooks’ director, said: “Welbeck’s unique characteristics make working on its historic buildings a challenge and a pleasure in equal measure. This project had to be completed in a very tight timescale, but with extreme care and all under the supervision of an ecologist for bat protection. We are pleased the degree of skill required to achieve such an authentic finish has been recognised by the NFRC’s judges and look forward to the winner being announced in London on May 19.”



The firm is no stranger to the NFRC awards, having been nominated in the heritage category three times in the last seven years. It is also listed on the organisation’s heritage register.

Sheffield-based roofing specialist, Martin-Brooks, is forging long term links with expanding supermarket chain, Aldi.



In just two years, the firm has carried out roof maintenance and planned refurbishment at more than a dozen of the retailer’s stores across the North and Midlands.



Martin-Brooks was initially called in to assist with several branch repairs and thanks to its speedy and practical response, a complete roof refurbishment was commissioned at the Shipley store near Bradford. This 12-week project required the replacement of slates and external cladding, whilst minimising disruption to customers and staff.



Working alongside Aldi’s main building contractor, Martin-Brooks also carried out a similar refurbishment in Castleford. It involved fitting new tiled roofs, external cladding and a flat roofed extension on a very tight timescale. Further projects have followed, including one in Batley to correct a defective solar panel installation.



Martin-Brooks’ director, Nick Brooks, said: “We have established an excellent working relationship with Aldi, who appreciate our ability to accommodate all aspects of roof repair and flexibility to react quickly when help is required. Our remit has now been extended to include providing surveying services as part of the group’s successful programme of planned maintenance and we look forward to assisting with many more projects in the future.”