Southwell is a minster town on the River Greet, about 10 miles north-east of Mapperley. Its historic districts, from the Prebendage around the Minster to Burgage, Hightown along Westgate and the former hamlets of East Thorpe and West Thorpe, hold some of the oldest homes in our area.
A historic town, inside and out
Southwell's conservation area was first designated in 1968, and the town's historic buildings include the prebendal houses on Church Street and Westgate, Burgage Manor and the Saracen's Head, built in 1463. If your home is listed, remember that listing applies to the whole building, inside and out. Replacing original plaster, taking down a lath and plaster ceiling or removing a chimney breast can all need listed building consent from Newark and Sherwood District Council. If you are not sure whether your house is listed, check before any work is booked.
Even in an unlisted older house, original features deserve care. Cornices, picture rails, panelled reveals and old door linings are easily damaged during plastering, and they are hard to replace once gone.
Workers' cottages and Edwardian villas
Not every older Southwell home is a grand one. A 2022 council review proposed adding the 19th-century workers' housing on Dover Street and Chatham Street, and the Edwardian villas on Halam Road, to the conservation area. Workers' cottages usually have small rooms, solid walls and plaster that has been repaired many times. Edwardian villas tend to have larger rooms, taller ceilings, picture rails and decorative cornices. Both suit careful repair: hollow plaster found and taken back, cracks opened and filled, and a new finish applied that sits comfortably on the old wall.
Matching the materials to the wall
In a building with solid walls, the plaster and the wall have to work together. Traditional lime plaster lets moisture pass in and out of the wall. Covering it with modern gypsum, or sealing it under vinyl paint, can trap that moisture and lead to damp patches and plaster breaking down. Where a wall has always been lime, lime or another breathable material is usually the right repair. Where it was replastered in gypsum decades ago and is dry and sound, carrying on with gypsum is normally fine. We look at what is there before deciding. In a newer house, things are simpler: skimming tired walls, flattening a textured ceiling or making good after a rewire.
Whether your home is near Burgage Green, along Westgate or out towards Brackenhurst, call 07877 353120 or send photos through the enquiry form. We work seven days a week, 7am to 5pm.
