Folly ruin shows off students' construction skills

13th April 2011 12:56pm - Return to press releases

Construction students at East Riding College have teamed up with well-known Bridlington business West BS to create an incredible folly ruin at the firm's showroom on Bessingby Industrial Estate.
Owner Chris West and director Sean Boyd issued a challenge to tutor Jai Campbell to create a focal point to showcase the products on offer as part of the refurbishment of the indoor display area.
The result is a beautiful and complex piece of construction which incorporates a range of brickwork techniques and products, and demonstrates an extremely high level of ability among the students, who were Mitchell Wedge, John Sutton, Tom Brown and Craig Hayward.

Moving away from traditional bricklaying, it features pre-cast stone plinths, columns, and a gothic arch and matching windows with carved mullions, and the display was completed with decorative paving areas and ornaments.

Mr Campbell said: "This project was a real challenge for the students and we are all absolutely delighted with the result.
"We would like to thank West BS for the opportunity to engage in a real hands-on project which has benefitted the students immensely with their practical skills, organisational procedures and personal development."

He added: "We already have excellent links with West BS and we are grateful their sponsorship of the construction category in the College's annual awards. We wish to continue this association and look forward to any future opportunities to help with practical work and advice."

Directors from West BS visited the Garden and Leisure Exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham and  brought back with them new ideas and products. In particular they wanted to recreate an "old relic" building of Gothic grandeur, mediaeval masonry, buttressing and castellations which would bring together all the architectural elements of a bygone era. After a suggestion by timber manager Richard Price, West BS contacted the College's assistant director Richard Sellick, who welcomed the challenge for the students.

Mr Boyd said: "We thought we could offer an opportunity for trainee bricklayers under the guidance of Jai Campbell to gain experience with an on-the-job project that was unique.
"As well as the old relic, we also asked the students to create a seaside replication of wooden groynes and old timbers using the StoneMarket timberstone in driftwood, which is stunning and looks like the real thing."

He added: "We are all thrilled at West BS with the standard of workmanship of the displays and also greatly thankful for the students' ingenuity and flexibility as the designs changed during construction.
"The venture has been deemed so successful that it is hoped this partnership can continue for further projects in the future.
"We strongly recommend that you call in at Bessingby and view for yourself these displays created by students of the East Riding College - there is possibly nothing like this Yorkshire."     

For more information about the College, visit www.eastridingcollege.ac.uk or call 0845 120 0037.

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Notes to editors

Photographs of the students with the folly ruin are available. For more information, call Matthew Croshaw, marketing and communications manager, on 01482 306612 or email [email protected]