Project 1: Kinbane Castle
Summary: Adman were appointed by the Historic Environment Division (HED) to undertake essential restoration works to Kinbane Castle, a State Care Historic Monument located in County Antrim and which dates back to 1547. The castle sits on Kinbane Head, a rocky promontory jutting out into the Irish Sea and is accessible only by foot along a narrow path down the main cliff and then up the steep beginnings of the chalk headland.
Project Detail: The works were primarily concerned with safeguarding the historic fabric of the site and ensuring it continued to be a safe place to visit and enjoy for the local community and the many tourists who also visit the site every year. The remote and highly inaccessible location meant that all materials for the works had to be flown in by a specially charted helicopter. Key works included:
- Repairs to the concrete crossing point from the foreshore to the steps leading up the headland which was eroding due to tidal action
- Replacement of all defective timber risers along the access steps on the headland leading to the castle.
- Removal of a redundant metal support frame to the castle walls and consolidation of the existing masonry.
- Repointing masonry with lime mortar.
Project 2: Castlecraig Wind Farm
Summary: Adman were appointed by the Historic Environment Division (HED) to undertake essential restoration works to the historic tower located at Church Island, a small island on Lough Beg, a designated ASSI and Natura 2000 site. The ruins of a Medieval church survive on the island, the tower and spire of which was built for Bishop Harvey in the late 1700’s to enhance the view from his house at Ballyscullion.
Project Detail: The works were primarily concerned with safeguarding the historic fabric of the site and ensuring it continued to be a safe place to visit and enjoy for the local community and the many tourists who also visit the site every year. Key works included:
- Vegetation control across the church ruins, tower and graveyard wall
- Consolidation of spire and parapet of tower, west gable, east gable, south wall, north wall, north annex and graveyard boundary wall. This primarily involved preservation of stonework through repointing and securing loose masonry with lime mortar.
- Installation of buttresses to support leaning section of graveyard wall
- Metalwork repairs to the graveyard entrance gate
- Provision of interpretation
Due to the historic and environmentally sensitive nature of the site, all works were undertaken in accordance with strict mitigation measures and in full consultation with the Historic Environment Division (HED0 and DAERA.
Project 3: Craigmore Viaduct
Summary: Adman worked in close conjunction with Atkins, on behalf of Translink to procure and manage survey and maintenance works to the historic Craigmore Railway Viaduct near Bessbrook, County Armagh. Known locally as the 18 Arches and dating back to 1852, the 126ft high viaduct is one of the tallest in Ireland and spans the Camlough River valley.
Project Detail: Working in a supervisory role for our client, we managed and coordinated a specialist rope access team who were tasked with clearing heavy vegetation and weed growth from around all piers, wingwalls and arches in order to facilitate a full structural examination.
Project 4: Faughan Viaduct
Summary: Adman worked in close conjunction with Atkins, on behalf of Translink to procure and manage specialist survey and structural assessment works on the Faughan Viaduct. The Viaduct which was built before 1940, is a 109m long, 11 square span structure supported on reinforced concrete piers and abutments and carries the Coleraine to Derry/Londonderry line over the estuary of the tidal River Faughan.
Project Detail: Working in near perfect conditions at low tide, the team used a specialised boat to access and inspect each individual pier and the abutments in order to ensure the structure remained safe to use well into the future.