Birkenhead boathouse, Wirral

Client: Wirral Council
Architect: Lloyd Evans Prichard
Type of works: Sandtoft bespoke clay roof tiles help restore historic boathouse.

Sandtoft has helped to restore a listed 19th-century boathouse by producing bespoke handmade clay roof tiles on behalf of Wirral Council.

Sandtoft has produced an under and over tile in Natural Red to match the clay tiles used on the original historic structure located by the lake in the centre of Birkenhead park.

“The boathouse had been roofless and neglected for many years, so lengthy research was required to determine its original appearance and materials,” said Andrew Kepczyk of Manchester-based architects Lloyd Evans Prichard. “Fortunately, the Council found a series of authentic picture postcards that helped us to identify the original roof tiles used. Sandtoft’s craftsmen then used these illustrations to reproduce matching tiles.”

Speaking about the restoration, Sandtoft’s Sales and Marketing Director, Nick Oldridge added: “The use of clay results in a very traditional appearance that complements the park’s natural surroundings. The tiles’ shape and fixing ensures a very secure, watertight and aesthetic roof that will offer minimal maintenance and maximum durability for years to come.”

Designed by leading architect and garden designer, Sir Joseph Paxton, Birkenhead Park was the first publicly funded park in the world. Many of its design elements and features have been copied and adapted in other schemes around the world, including Central Park in New York.