Plans have been submitted for the second phase of the repair and refurbishment of the historic Baysgarth House.
North Lincolnshire Council agreed to lease the Grade II-listed building in Barton-upon-Humber to The Ropewalk for 15 years in 2024. The Ropewalk is now leading the organisation of long-aspired plans to restore the site. Baysgarth House Museum has been shut since 2019.
Approval was granted late last year to the first phase of restoration plans, which include the creation of a café in the existing stable block, and a small ice cream unit in a store building. Work has begun this Spring.
The Ropewalk has also now submitted plans to repair and restore Baysgarth House Museum. The proposals include relocating the museum’s entrance to the west door, which itself would be replaced with a glazed panel door. There would also be new signage for the museum on either side of the doorway.
The museum reception and gift shop would be behind the doorway. In here and other areas, alterations are proposed to remove 20th Century changes to the property, which dates as far back as the 17th Century. A suspended ceiling in the area behind the doorway would be removed. Other potential property changes include:
- Removal of a ground floor window on the western side, installed in 1965 when the building was in council use.
- Accessible toilets to replace existing toilet facilities on the ground floor and first floor levels.
- Reinstatement of a second archway and a period fireplace in the drawing room, bricked up in the 1960s to form a council strong room.
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Meanwhile, the site’s cottage would see works to create a first floor workspace and a flexible ground floor community and workshop space. A council consultation in Barton in 2020 showed majority support for having rooms at Baysgarth available for community hire.
An application document also states consideration will be given in a third phase of works to installing a lift to provide full accessibility to the house’s first floor. Barton Civic Society has expressed its full support for the phase two plans.
First phase works have been taking place for two months now, The Ropewalk’s CEO Liz Bennet confirmed in an update this month. The stables is now encased in scaffolding as final work on the roof and external pointing is undertaken. Cast iron radiators rescued from the property’s cellar have been repainted, tested, cleaned and now installed too.
A pointing demonstration morning also took place in April, with 66 people attending and having the chance to try for themselves to fill brickwork joints with mortar. The Ropewalk hope for planning permission for the second phase of walks to be granted in early summer.
“As the work goes on, we are looking for sponsors for renovations currently underway and for the next phase. Keep up with our weekly progress updates on the Baysgarth House Facebook page.” Donations can be made to The Ropewalk in person or via its Baysgarth House sponsorship page.
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