Andrew Arrol
Arrol & Snell Architects, Andrew is the Project Architect and Design
Team Leader
Best moment - Throughout the course of the project there have been
many moments of excitement and delight, starting with the realisation
that our team had been selected to undertake the project and
culminating with the joyous moment when the Castle was opened to
the public amidst great celebrations on April 1st.
There have been many moments of intense satisfaction as the fabric
repair got underway and was completed stage by stage and also many
memorable meetings and discussions as the designs gradually came
together and were discussed with English Heritage and other stake
holders and eventually received their consents. It has been a great
pleasure working with the many skilled crafts people who have worked
on the repairs and alterations and of course with all the other members
of the design team. It has been a particular pleasure working with Mary
Powell and all at Lincolnshire County Council and we have enjoyed
very good collaboration and cooperation throughout.
I think the best moment for me was a kind of `ambush of pleasure'
when I visited the Castle shortly after it had opened and was able to
look at the completed project through the eyes of the visitors and listen
to some of their comments. It was a wonderful moment to see all of
the various designs that we had prepared had reached their conclusion
and were actually in use. This was truly thrilling.
Worst moment - By far the discovery of a single solitary bat in
the cellarage of the Prison Rear Range. In spite of numerous early
inspections and ecology reports, one solitary bat had reappeared, with
a result that operations in that part of the building had to close down
instantly. However, in due course work was able to resume, but it was
very worrying at the time as it could well have led to a prolonged
downturn.
Rob Green
Arrol & Snell Architects, Rob is Senior Designer and Contract
Administrator
Best moment - For me Lincoln Castle Revealed has been the project
of a lifetime and there have been many highs as well as a few lows!
These would include when we won the contract on such a prestigious
project that was going to occupy most of my life for five years. I also
felt a great sense of pride in what we had all achieved, when stood
on the walls of the East Gate on 1st April 2015 looking down on
crowds gathering to see the Castle `revealed'. In the intervening years
achieving key stages such as obtaining the Heritage Lottery Funding
and completing sections of the walls felt very rewarding.
The memory which sticks most is bringing my wife and daughters,
Ella and Eva, to the opening of the Heritage Skills Centre where they
were able to meet and talk to Lord Linley. During my time at Lincoln
I was struck by the warmth and friendliness of the locals who have
treated me like a friend and part of their community and it gave me
great pleasure to complete the project and hand the Castle back to the
people of Lincoln.
Worst moment Not `worst' moments, just a series of challenges that
we were able to overcome. However, spending many hours through
the winter walking miles of scaffolding to the walls, inspecting and
instructing works in the wind, sleet, snow and rain tend to stick in my
memory, although standing back and seeing completed repairs to the
walls made all that seem worthwhile.
Rob Green
Andrew Arrol
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