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Welcome to another episode of the Heritage Buildings Podcast.
Host Vincent Reed speaks with conservation carpenter and surveyor Nathan Goss about his unconventional journey from leaving school at 15 with dyslexia into a carpentry apprenticeship in South Wales, early work crafting coffins and staircases, and later restoring historic buildings across the UK including projects at Windsor Castle and Hereford Cathedral.
Nathan also shares how television opportunities arose through his friendship with Griff Rhys Jones, his transition into a building surveyor role with the National Trust after a rugby injury, and international conservation work with the World Monuments Fund.
Topics covered include:
• Starting a carpentry apprenticeship at 15 and early work crafting coffins
• Restoring major heritage sites including Windsor Castle and historic buildings across Wales
• Life as a travelling carpenter working on castles, cathedrals, and historic halls
• How a friendship with Griff Rhys Jones led to television and heritage documentaries
• Retraining as a National Trust building surveyor after a career-changing rugby injury
• International conservation work and training projects in Ethiopia and Sierra Leone
Perfect for conservation carpenters, heritage professionals, craftspeople, building surveyors, and anyone passionate about traditional building skills and historic building restoration.
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Below is a more detailed breakdown of the video with relevant timestamps
Click the time on the left to jump straight to that section
00:00 Welcome and Catch Up
00:29 School Struggles and Apprenticeship
03:17 Early Joinery and Bonus Wages
05:20 Coffin Making Mindset
09:06 How Coffins Were Built
14:20 Glue and Finishing Touches
16:18 Leaving Joinery for Restoration
21:16 Windsor Castle and Hand Skills
24:24 Heritage Projects Across Wales
27:27 Life as a Traveling Carpenter
29:33 No Photos Back Then
31:10 St Fagans Museum Work
31:42 St Fagans Church Restoration
33:32 Museum Repairs and Fire Rebuild
34:45 Royal Visits and Moving On
35:22 Meeting Griff Rhys Jones
37:59 Pembroke Slate Roof Dilemma
42:39 Friendship and TV Opportunities
44:06 Pilgrims Walk TV Adventure
46:44 More History Shows and Research
51:40 Rugby Injury and Business Collapse
53:39 National Trust Surveyor Path
59:57 Luck Mindset and New Contacts
01:02:18 Ethiopia Palace Project Hook
01:06:20 Mindblown Heritage Moments
01:07:33 Ethiopia Palace Training
01:10:42 Funding Shift Fallout
01:12:53 Family Travel Juggle
01:15:30 TV Work Reality Check
01:21:39 Sierra Leone Timber Rescue
01:26:03 Mahogany Termite Surprise
01:30:03 Future Plans and Wrap
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Connect with Nathan Goss and learn more:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-goss-18a0b792/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nathangossconservation/
Email: [email protected]
Website: nathangoss.co.uk/
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Learn more about the Heritage Buildings Association:
https://heritagebuildingsassociation.com
Join the conversation:
https://heritagebuildings.forum/share/dDYOnkLWJAkaA5xE?utm_source=manual
#Coffinmaker #WindsorCastle #Ethiopia