Ironmongery

 Introduction

Buildings in Birkenhead Heritage area, which encompasses both the Birkenhead Georgian Quarter and Victorian Town, are a living record of the community that built and used them, reflecting craft skills and available materials, styles and aspirations and personal whims. Appropriate door furniture is a very important part of any historical building, especially as it is the first detail you focus on and touch as you enter a building. Its removal and inappropriate replacement with modern alternatives gives a “fake” feel to the building and should be avoided. The purpose of this booklet is to help homeowners to understand and enjoy the door furniture of their homes, and to give guidance on maintenance and where necessary reinstatement. In the Edinburgh World Heritage Site this subject can be divided into three overlapping historical periods:

  • pre-Georgian (up to 1750)
  • Georgian (1750 - 1830)
  • Victorian (1830 - 1900)

Please note all measurements are in millimetres (mm) Pre-Georgian (up to about 1750) Apart from Birkenhead Priory, few, if any, properties still exist before pre- Georgian period and none of the original doors or their original ironmongery remain, because these early buildings have fallen into disrepair over the years or have been remodelled, and have lost their original ironmongery in favour of new sets or modern replicas. Any original ironmongery remaining is therefore of great value and should be retained and looked after. Early ironmongery was hand-made (forged) by local blacksmiths out of wrought iron, a very durable material which has already lasted some 300 years. Every piece is therefore unique, although there are certain basic patterns and styles. Doors were made out of boards, ‘cross-boarded’, rather than panels (which didn’t come in until the 18th century) and generally hung on strap hinges fixed to the face of the door, opened by a thumb latch attached to a flat iron backplate and secured with a large stock lock in a wooden case fixed to the inside face of the door. Additional security could be achieved with large iron bolts.