September 2011

The builders have been working hard throughout the summer with the result that all the old render has been successfully removed, both inside and outside the Tower. During September some work still needs to be done on the timber structures, and also some high level stonework on the west end of the south aisle. This should be finished by October, and then the Tower needs to dry out until May next year when new and appropriate render will be applied.

April 2011

English Heritage have now confirmed their offer of a Stage 2 grant towards the proposed work to the church tower and other high level work on the basis of the specification drawn up by Thomas Ford & Partners and the tender offer from Bakers of Danbury Ltd.

The PCC met in March to approve both the terms of the English Heritage grant and of the contract with Bakers. This contract is expected to span a period of approximately sixteen months with phase one lasting roughly five months from the start this month. Phase two is expected to start around April/May 2012 and last for approximately three months. It is likely that the tower - and bells – will be out of use for much of phase one and all of phase two. Present plans are for the tower to be scaffolded externally throughout both phases and the intervening period.

Whilst the main work relates to removal of both the internal and external render and its eventual replacement with lime render, the contract also includes repairs to the timber floor & roof structures in the tower, alterations to the rainwater disposal system of the tower roof, demolition of the redundant boiler house, infilling of the original coal hole, masonry repairs to the westgable of the south aisle and some alterations to the electrical equipment cupboards, seating, and heating in the ground floor of the tower. Under a separate contract, the 16^th century porch will be renovated which will involve thetemporary removal of the sides and doors so that they can be worked off-site whilst the scaffold is in place around the tower.

Costs for stage 2 of the project are likely to be of the order of £230,000 before VAT, although most of the VAT payable on the project will be recoverable under the Government's "Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme". The Stage 2 grant from EH is for £44,000 and this, together with money from the Tower appeal, and the Church Repair Fund adds up to a little over £132,000. The balance of the costs will be met from the parish reserves and the generous legacy from the estate of the late Dorothy Swift, given for the repair and maintenance of the church and churchyard.

The detailed planning for the work is now underway. We are hopeful that a start can be made on setting up and preliminary work before Easter with the external tower scaffold being erected soon after, after which removal of the old cement render can begin.

9th
October

2nd October

11th September 

 30th August

 22nd August

24th April

Teddy Bear 
Aerial Runway