LIntels in West Sussex
Different lintels through the ages
Although today we generally rely on reinforced concrete and steel lintels, over the years, many different materials have been used to make lintels to support buildings wherever gaps such as doors or windows are required.
What lintels were available?
- Timber Lintels: Up until the 1930s, timber lintels were mostly used, particularly above bay window construction. The main disadvantages with timber were the cost of the timber and they were more vulnerable to fire, pest infestation and rot.
- Stone Lintels: These were very common, especially where stone is abundantly available. These were also provided over the openings in brick walls. Stone lintels were in the form of either one single piece or more than one piece.
- Brick Lintels: Brick lintels were used when the opening was less than one metre and less load
was to be placed above. Bricks with frogs, the indent in the top of the brick, were more suitable than normal bricks because frogs when filled with mortar gives more shear resistance of end joints which is known as joggled brick lintel. - Reinforced Brick Lintel: These types of lintel were used when loads were heavy and spanned more than one metre. A space was left length wise between adjacent bricks for the insertion of mild steel bars as reinforcement, with cement mortar being used to fill the gaps.
- Steel Lintel: Steel lintels are used when the superimposed loads are heavy and the openings are large. The steel lintel consists of channel sections or rolled steel joists. One single section can be used, or in combinations depending upon the construction requirement.
- Reinforced Concrete Lintel: The lintel made of reinforced concrete is the lintel that is most widely used today to span the openings for doors and windows. The advantages these lintels have is their strength, rigidity, resistance to fire, low cost and ease of use. Reinforced concrete lintels are suitable for all the loads and for any span.
West Sussex: A county steeped in history
West Sussex is a county in the South East of England, situated on the English Channel coast. West Sussex comprises the shire districts of Adur, Arun, Chichester, Horsham, and Mid Sussex, and the boroughs of Crawley and Worthing. Covering an area of 769 square miles. West Sussex borders Hampshire to the west, Surrey to the north, and East Sussex to the east.
The county town and only city in West Sussex is Chichester, located in the south-west of the county. This was legally formalised with the establishment of West Sussex Council in 1888 but within the ceremonial Sussex. After the reorganisation of local government in 1974, the ceremonial function of the historic county of Sussex was divided into two separate counties, with the western half becoming West Sussex and the eastern half East Sussex. The existing East and West Sussex councils took control respectively, with Mid Sussex and parts of Crawley being transferred to West Sussex administration from East Sussex. In the 2011 census, West Sussex recorded a population of 806,900.
West Sussex settlers through the ages
West Sussex has a long history of human settlement dating back to the Lower Paleolithic era. The Romans conquered West Sussex’s indigenous Britons, and incorporated the area as a Roman province. During the Early Middle Ages, the Saxons settled the area, establishing the Kingdom of Sussex in 477, which lasted until about?827 when the kingdom was annexed by Wessex.
West Sussex has lots of rich scenery, including wealden, downland and coastal. The highest point of the county is Blackdown, at 919 feet. It has quite a few stately homes including Goodwood, Petworth House and Uppark, and castles such as Arundel Castle and Bramber Castle. Over half of West Sussex is protected countryside, offering walking, cycling and other sought after recreational opportunities.