Over the last eight months the V-shaped ‘lantern’ roof has had all of its glass replaced, and its wooden frames repaired and enhanced with a hard coating.
Charles McHugh, director of McAulay (Market Buildings), said it was pleasing to see the woodwork skills displayed by contractors J W Rihoy & Son’s tradesmen in repairing the listed historic roof lantern.
‘This roof lantern will now be preserved for future generations,’ he said. ‘The joinery, particularly around the rounded bull nose end of the lantern, is particularly complex.
‘In the age of plastic uPVC window frames, it’s gratifying to learn that the skills still exist to restore this historic feature.
‘We would like to express our thanks to our tenant, the Channel Islands Co-operative Society, and the listed buildings staff at the Development & Planning Authority for their significant contributions towards this notable conservation achievement.’
Contractors found that most of the existing timber structure to be in good condition which meant it could be kept, while each of the replacement windows comprise two sheets of 4mm toughened and laminated glass with a film sandwiched between them.
The total cost of the works is believed to be in the region of £1m. with the cost of scaffolding alone reaching £50,000.
The Market Buildings in St Peter Port have a rich history dating back over 200 years, playing a vital role in the island’s community and economy.
Originally, a private company built a market for butchers in 1780, which later became known as the French Halles or Leadenhall market.
In 1818, the States acquired the market and commissioned John Wilson to design a new building, completed in 1822, which is essentially the structure that stands today.
The ‘lantern’ roof was designed to look like the upturned hull of a ship from inside the building, while outside it was covered with slates to resemble the scales of the fish that used to be sold in the old market.
The scaffolding is now being removed.
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