The centre of Southwell gathers around the Grade I Minster and the partly ruined Archbishop's Palace, with historic districts such as the Prebendage, Burgage around Burgage Green, and Hightown along Westgate. The Saracen's Head dates from 1463, the prebendal houses on Church Street and Westgate are among the town's historic buildings, and the 1824 Workhouse, now owned by the National Trust, was a prototype for many others. Skimming in a town like this means asking first what the wall is made of.
Old walls and modern plaster
A gypsum skim is the standard finish in most homes today, but it is not right for every wall. Older buildings were usually built and plastered with lime, which lets moisture move in and out of the wall. Covering those walls with modern gypsum can trap damp behind the surface, leading to staining and blown plaster later. Signs that a wall is lime include a soft, sandy texture when scratched and hair or fibres in the old plaster. Before any skim in an older Southwell property, it is worth finding out whether the building is listed, and if it is, contacting Newark and Sherwood District Council about consent. Where a wall isn't suited to a gypsum skim, it is far better to know before work starts than after.
Workers' houses and Edwardian villas
A 2022 council review found the conservation area under-represented the town's 19th and early 20th-century buildings, and proposed adding the 19th-century workers' housing on Dover Street and Chatham Street and the Edwardian villas on Halam Road. Homes like these are often good candidates for a skim: a workers' house with walls patched by generations of owners, or a villa with high ceilings, deep cornicing and a tall stairwell. In the villas, the skim is brought neatly up to the cornice rather than over it, and the stairwell is worked from a platform so each wall is finished in one pass.
Planning around drying time
Big rooms and solid walls dry more slowly than a modern plasterboard box, particularly in winter. Keep windows open a little, leave the heating at its normal setting, and wait until the plaster is an even pale colour all over before painting. The first coat should be a thinned matt emulsion that soaks into the surface; anything wipeable or vinyl comes afterwards.
To talk about skimming in Southwell, whether near the Minster, around Burgage Green or out towards Brackenhurst, call 07877 353120 or use the enquiry form. We're available seven days a week, between 7am and 5pm.
