The Royal Naval Hospital opened at Stonehouse in 1760 for Royal Naval officers and other ranks. It was built to a design by Alexander Rovehead. At the time the hospital was revolutionary in its design, with it becoming the blueprint for military hospitals across Europe. It closed in 1995 after serving the Royal Navy for 235 years. It is now a gated residential complex and called Millfields. The 26-acre site surrounded by a 4 metre high wall is a conservation area, containing over 20 listed buildings and structures.

The main quadrangle is described as ‘a complex of outstanding historical significance in the development of institutions for the care of the sick, which forms the principal part of a remarkable and complete military hospital’. St Vincent’s is one of the residential blocks that surround the quadrangle.

Damp had been penetrating down through the stone walls causing damage to the ceiling below.

We were instructed to check lead flashings and re-point the stonework in an area above a flat roof.

Various re-pointing repairs had been carried out in this area over the years, much of it was done using sand and cement. All the jointing from window sill height down to the lead flashing was cut out.

The joints were flush out using clean water.

And re-pointed using a natural hydraulic lime mortar.

Once the initial set had taken place, the joints were finished off with a churn brush.

All the lead flashings were in good order and now that the wall had been re-pointed the damp issues dissapeared.