York’s historic Clifford’s Tower has been radically transformed with a modern timber staircase and engineered timber viewing area, breathing new life into this ancient monument.
Clifford’s Tower is the largest surviving structure from the medieval royal castle of York, built in the mid-13th century. But it has stood as a roofless ruin since 1684. The tower offers superb views over the city.
Following a £5 million project to conserve and improve the interior of the 800-year-old landmark for English Heritage, it now incorporates a free-standing timber structure that protects the ruin, carries a timber viewing deck, and sees new walkways and stairs give the public access to features unseen for over 350 years.
Using timber supplied by leading French softwood supplier Piveteaubois, Buckland Timber installed the engineered timber elements. Both companies have a PEFC Chain of Custody Certification.
This shows the companies clear commitment to sustainability, demonstrating the supply of responsibly sourced material.
Buckland chose to work with Piveteaubois as they could supply the PEFC certified sapwood-free, Douglas fir dried to 12% moisture content, perfect for glulam manufacture, for the larger elements of the project.
The non-slip timber deck was also constructed using PEFC-certified Marley CitiDeck®, which is manufactured from premium grade European Redwood and was specified by Hugh Broughton Architects Ltd. CitiDeck® boasts an attractive and robust anti-slip timber decking solution ideal for use in public areas.
All Piveteaubois Douglas Fir comes from PEFC-certified, sustainably-managed forests.
France is the number one producer of Douglas fir in Europe. Harvests have grown steadily since 1990 and will account for over one third of softwood production by 2040, equating to around 2.5 million m3 of sawn timber.
Clifford’s Tower re-opened in April 2022 and has won several design and construction awards including Best Retail & Leisure Project and Winner of Winners Award at the Structural Timber Awards 2022. It has also been shortlisted for a 2022 Wood Award in the Buildings – Commercial & Leisure category.