Specialist stonemasonry contractor Classic Masonry has been appointed to undertake conservation work at 16 Barrington Street, a Grade II listed building in South Shields that will form part of the new South Tyneside College and South Shields Marine School campus.

Built in 1882 as the headquarters of the South Shields Poor Law Union, the late Victorian building is being retained within a new 15,000m² campus on King Street. Castle is the principal contractor for the wider project, with GSS Architecture initially appointing Classic Masonry to inspect and survey the stonework and brickwork of the listed building’s principal elevations.

The survey has led to a programme of repair and replacement work, including replacement stone and indents to band and string courses and hood moulds, repointing deteriorated mortar joints to brickwork and water tables, and steam cleaning of the façade.

The approach reflects Classic Masonry’s established conservation work across the North East. The North Shields-based company has recently completed masonry conservation at a number of historic churches, while its work at Newcastle’s Grade II listed Carliol House involved the retention, repair and reinstatement of a 120m-long Portland stone Art Deco façade and dome as part of a major commercial redevelopment.

Mike Moody, managing director of Classic Masonry, says the Barrington Street work requires the various elements of the façade to be considered together.

“It is vital that the repair and replacement of stonework is conducted in a holistic manner to ensure that such interventions will neither undermine the existing structure, nor undermine other necessary interventions.”

He describes the façade as “a very impressive example of articulated late Victorian architecture”, highlighting its doorway by J H Morton, who was also responsible for several other buildings in the locality, including Barclay’s Bank on King Street and extensions to the Old Customs House.

Classic Masonry, established in 1991, combines new-build masonry and architectural precast concrete with restoration and conservation, including stone sourcing, cutting, profiling, carving, cleaning and façade consolidation. Its recent conservation work has also included Cosin’s Almshouses and the Pemberton Building at Palace Green in Durham, where the emphasis was on repairing historic stone façades and retaining existing material.

Chris Meadowcroft, operations director at Castle, says the listed building represents an important part of South Shields’ industrial history.

“While the build of a new campus in the middle of South Shields is the showpiece of this transformational project, 16 Barrington Street is very much representative of the borough’s proud industrial past and, as such, it is important we protect and enhance the façade of the building.”

The restoration will retain the historic building as part of the college’s new campus, combining its existing architectural fabric with the wider regeneration of South Shields town centre.