Botany Herbarium Building Works

8 July 2011

After over thirty years of intermittent leaks and temporary fixes the roof of the Herbarium is being renewed. This substantial project has necessitated the closure of the herbarium, the 'wrapping' of the herbarium's contents (specimens and books) in plastic to prevent water damage, the removal of the existing tiles and roof skylights, and will require the removal of the false internal ceiling followed by rewiring and redecoration. As you can see the old roof supported a thriving plant community which had rooted through the tiles into the horsehair layer of insulation underneath. The Herbarium is now reopened. As the work proceeds we will post more images on this site.

A letter from the architect of the herbarium displaying the usual over-optimism that many have with what was then newish technology. The skylight has, as is evident from the surrounding images leaked badly for years.

The newest skylight is being installed at present, please see below the most recent pictures.

The fire brigade put the fire in the Department out but flood the herbarium anteroom in the process. Its contents have to be removed for drying and storage.

The false ceiling is removed

The entrance lobby to the Department is filled by the empty books and other items which are being returned to the Anteroom which has been redecorated and the ceiling replastered.

The work is now complete. The herbarium is now fully functional, and it is for the first time in living memory now warm to work in.The lighting is also fantastic – being fully automatic and much better than was present previously. The ante-room is also now replastered and redecorated and the books and specimens it contains have been replaced. Thanks to everyone involved in getting the project through to successful completion.