Mike Gill said:- 

 On the basis of what a few 
> Yorkshiremen have achieved at Cononley and Grassington,


How long ago was this? Where they scheduled monuments at the time? 



 Rob 
> Vernon’s estimate of “in the order of 30,000 pounds” to repair the 
> Pen-y-Clun chimney sounds a tadge excessive.  

The Hafna Chimney cost nearly half this amount  some ten years ago. This
was not just for repointing, but it was on sound ground and access was
easy. More recent estimates for simple repointing work on chimneys would
suggest 10 grand plus without heavy plant or work on the foundations. Any
professional Civil Engineer like to comment on cost. 



If pictures of the 
> chimney taken 30 years ago really do confirm that the actual lean of 
> the chimney has not got worse, then I suggest that the requirement for 
> underpinning work is not so high.  

You don't know that until you actually investigate the problem fully.

It sounds as though the major 
> problem is sagging of the courses around the flue inlet caused by 
> damage from vandalism.  

No it is still the foundations that are the problem but this could be
an additional problem which could result in further reduction of
the chimneys stability.

Has no one thought to put a prop under the 
> loose stuff?  Or build a pack wall?  As Rob says, in the short term, 
> replacement of lintels should be a cheap and easy operation.  Perhaps 
> if people really cared for some of these features they would carry 
> some bags of sand and cement to them and do some.........


I did not think it was legal to do this to Scheduled Monuments in Wales.
You have to get permission from the Secretary of State for Wales (via
CADW) before you can do any work on a Scheduled Monument. Vandals are
obvious exempt from this requirement.

Rob Vernon 



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