21,03,25 | Uncategorized

Pre-installation of new steel ladders.

With the corroded or broken ladders now safely removed and the old fixings cleaned off, the quay stones were marked out ready for positioning the new ladders. Pilot holes were drilled to position the ladder handrail bases.

Built at the ocal workshop of JT Fabrications, the new ladders have been designed to meet the current ladder spcifications for ports and harbours while making access to and from the decks of historic wrking vessels as easy as possible.

With the idea that the majotity of vessles maing use of the old quay will be historic fishing vessels, the ladders have been designed to allow easy access when boarding or disembarking. Luggers like the Barnabas and Happy Return offer trips to paying members of all ages and experience so the new ladders were built to best accommodate their needs.

Each of the ladders had to be temporairly fixed in place in order to position the quay side fixing plates which will hold them off the quay after the final fitting. Stainless bolts embedded in epoxy resin were used to fit those plates in place. The ladder rungs have to be a minimum of 200mm away from the facing stonework.

Cornwall is renowned the world over for its legendary hard-rock mining engineers. Working on an 11th Century stone quay proves no exception, they knew what they were using back then when all those years ago they built a harbour destined to last a thousand years and more!

Once all the ladders have been fitted in place and the mounting plates aligned they will all be rermoved and sent away for surface finishing. This will be a three-coat system – the same used to protect the steel base pedastels that support winfarm turbines at sea.

There are still plenty of jobs to be completed by volunteers, especially the removal of decades old undergrowth and rubble.

You can join the team every Saturday between 10am and 2pm in helping out with this invaulauble work to bring the old quay back into use.

It’s time for the stonework!

It’s time for the stonework!

04,03,25 | Uncategorized

Now that Spring is sprung and the weather hopefully getting warmer by the day there are a range of tasks that all need volunteers to help see the work continue to progress:
You can join in the fun from 10am every Saturday morning. Hand tools, protective gloves and gear are available.
The list of tasks is as follows:

Finish off the weeding and ivy removal to the Access slip, the Red Lion slip and the top of the parapet wall. .

Start filling in the gaps between the stones on the top of parapet wall with small pebbles (now on site) in readiness for the pointing.

Chip out the old pointing on the vertical face of the upper section of the parapet wall.

Power wash off the grass and mud on the surface at the end of the quay. (I hope to borrow the harbour’s more powerful pressure washer this weekend)

Choosing, measuring and recording the new sizes and locations for the replacement granite staples at the end of the quay.

Removing the corroded railing posts and handrail on the Red Lion slip for Pencarn Forge to repair. (here we need any vessels that are tied to the handrail posts to tie up elsewhere first).

Volunteers needed this Saturday 1st March

Volunteers needed this Saturday 1st March

28,02,25 | Uncategorized

Join us this Saturday down at the Old Quay for an exciting opportunity to roll up your sleeves and be a part of history as we embark on the next phase of our restoration journey. The parapet section of the Old Quay is ready for some TLC and we need your help to clean away the old pointing in preparation for the new lime mortar pointing, together we can breathe new life into this cherished landmark and preserve its charm for generations to come.

 

Work begins 10am to 2pm – hot drinks available!

The top surface of the parapet also needs pointing now that a hundred years of guano and weeds have been removed. The black tar that can be seen on many of the stones is a legacy from the days when fishermen tarred their masts and spars on the quayside.

As you can see this from this photo, taken well over 100 years ago the quay was in constant use. Nets, masts and spars are everywhere. Even though by then the North pier has been built, the old quay was still very much a space used by the fishermen to maintain their boats and fishing gear, their are drift nest all along the top of the parapet. Which, in this photo, still ran the full length of the quay.