Maintaining one of Oxfordshire's most extraordinary Victorian mansions
Wyfold Court is an extraordinary Grade II* listed mansion built between 1874 and 1884, designed by George Somers Leigh Clarke for the Lancashire cotton magnate and Conservative politician Edward Hermon. Its style combines the Flamboyant period of French Gothic architecture with a touch of Scots Baronial — a breathtaking building of towers, corner turrets, gargoyles, traceried windows and crocketed heraldic beasts.
MDJ Conservation has been entrusted with the ongoing maintenance of this remarkable estate — an extraordinary responsibility that we take enormous pride in. Regular maintenance of a building of this complexity and significance requires a thorough understanding of its historic fabric, its vulnerabilities, and the correct methods and materials to keep it in good condition for future generations.
Our maintenance programme covers the full range of the building's needs — from roofing and drainage to masonry inspection, structural monitoring and written condition reports. Every visit is documented, and any issues are addressed promptly using traditional materials and methods appropriate to the historic fabric.
The estate's ornate stonework — gargoyles, finials, decorative parapets and stone carvings — requires particular care and expertise. We carry out regular inspections at height, assessing the condition of carved detail and intervening where necessary with lime mortar repairs and consolidation.
