Work is well underway on the Project, taking advantage of the dry weather over the Summer. The first phase, which began in May this year, was to set up the site for works, which included ensuring protection of the natural environment and an ecologist was on site to ensure that no slow worms or grass snakes were harmed in the process. Protecting the features of historical interest within the church was also prioritised, with a number of items moved to temporary storage while some fixtures, including the font where the new Princess of Wales was baptised, were enclosed in protective housing.
Construction work started with foundations being laid externally for the link building, as well as internally in the Vestry and North Aisle to support the new mezzanine floors. These internal foundations have included a limecrete slab, a breathable and sustainable alternative to concrete that is recommended for use in heritage buildings.
Externally the contractors have erected scaffolding with a temporary roof and Monoflex sheeting to elevations. This is to protect the structure from the elements whilst work on the roof and masonry commence. The scaffold is held down by large water tanks containing 24,000 litres/ 5280 gallons of water. The work also extends internally where a scaffold ‘birdcage’ is being erected to enable works and repairs and also provides a safety deck for the roof works.
The result is that the church is now fully enveloped in scaffolding, a staggering 580 tonnes, certainly no mean feat given the heat of the summer. For the scaffolders, however it’s all in a day’s work and they have a reputation on site for singing whilst they labour but seem to be keen to avoid us recording this which seems a shame. Also on a lighter note, an orange light bulb, unattached, was found lodged behind a wooden angel which decorates the base of the rafters before they ascend to the tip of the roof; how it came to be there is a real mystery.
With the church protected, work started on removal of the roof tiles and over 85% of them are now cleared. The ecologist has again been on hand to ensure that no bats are disturbed in the process. This work is ongoing and on a positive note, the underlying roof structure appears to be in surprisingly good condition, although it is perhaps unwise to speak too soon. Other ongoing work ongoing includes the connection of drainage and utility supplies.
After so many years of negotiation and planning it is exciting to see this unique project under way. Whilst most of what has been tackled to date has been the less glamorous, yet critical, aspects of the project such as digging up or stripping out, we are now entering the exciting phase of renovation. The more the project progresses and the more we see, the more excited we become about the positive impact this will have for the College.
Owen Adams, Chief Operating Officer.
You can see the latest updates, find out more about the overall aims of the project and watch a visualisation of what the finished project will look on the Project webpage:
