Old, winding streets and quaint roads make up a large portion of Falmouth’s charm, so when the team at Penryn Joinery were approached by a commercial property owner to bring back some sparkle to one of Falmouth’s streets, they jumped at the chance.
Penryn Joinery are proud to have been involved in the restoration of the iconic shopfronts of 54 and 55 Church Street, owned by Suzanne Nunn. The shops date back to the early 19th century and feature
iconic Victorian-style curved bow windows that would fit perfectly in a Dickens novel.
The shops have had a colourful history and certainly add to the historic charm of Falmouth, so the restoration needed to be completed carefully and in keeping with its character - something Penryn
Joinery has a wealth of expertise in.
Works involved a full rebuild of the bow window of No. 55, with No. 54 needing a restoration and replacement of the lower half of the bow window - quite a tricky feat to complete, as aside from the windows being out of square, much of the work had to be done on-site.
Utilising steam bending methods and reverting to old-time skills for hand-scribed joints, the windows were rebuilt as they were originally made with the help of craftsman Andrew Englefield (local marine joiner), choosing locally sourced Larch for the bent glazing bars, whilst other glazing sections were made from Accoya. Both timbers are sustainable, therefore eco-friendly and extremely durable, so should last a lifetime.
Unfortunately, the canopy was also beyond repair and therefore required replacement, along with the corbels that support it and the roundels that decorate it, all of which were handmade/turned replicas of the originals. New leadwork expertly done by John at JFM roofing completed the job.
The project is a credit to Nick Hellier, site foreman, for his expertise, and all the Penryn Joinery staff that were involved with the project.
The owner of No. 54 and No. 55, Suzanne Nunn, said: “It’s been a while coming, but 54 and 55 Church St in Falmouth are finally restored to their former glory. I know lots of people have many happy memories of the shops as Maggs and De Wynns, and it is lovely to see them ready for new tenants. Thank you, Penryn Joinery, for a fantastic job!”
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