The Boat House, Cliveden, National Trust

The boat house is a one-storey, Victorian building built in the 1860s in the estate style of G. Devey, which is used to store one large boat and other items such as tables, life jackets and building materials. It is adjacent to the River Thames and situated within the registered Grade II listed park and garden of Cliveden with woodland and cottages located nearby. It is in active use by visitors taking boat trips and is regularly maintained. The building provides good shelter from weather ingress and a stable temperature. The external walls are half-timber on brick plinth around 1m high, decorated with ornamental bargeboards. The east side contains a front door made of timber and glass and a loosely grilled louvre at the top which provides potential access. The west front has a Tudor arched shuttered boat door, decorated with carved spandrels.

The conservation works identified was aimed at protecting the existing components as far possible and removal of any temporary repairs carried out in the past. The wok included.

• Manufacturing new like-for-like iron chain links and pins
• Removal temporary  repairs and straps
• Clean and service all mechanical components
• Inspect bearings and bushes and replace if no longer serviceable
• Remove existing defective protective paint system
• Apply new protective paint system

Once all the works had been completed within Dorothea’s workshop the shutter was protected and transported to the river bank for installation. During the installation the boat house remained open to staff and within three days the entire boat house was fully operational and all temporary weathering had been removed from site.