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3www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk LIGHTING 22 Lighting schemes can help show your true colours 23 New lanterns replicate early 20th century gasoliers 24 Pershore Abbey tower: a fitting tribute for the Jubilee 27 Lincolnshire ‘Queen’ of parish churches is latest to benefit from lighting specialists’ attention PROJECTS 28 C of E archive finally has its own library building 29 Conservators are aided behind the scenes by cutting-edge paper producers 31 Conservation of historic library columns carried out by leading specialists WINDOWS 33 Back to the office...with Clement Windows PEST CONTROL 35 If birds are a problem, get professional help – or risk prosecution SOUND & AV SYSTEMS 37 Leading loop manufacturer recognised for export efforts 37 When is a hearing disability really an ‘enablement ’? 5 Reflections NEWS 9 NT completes projects, thanks to Culture Recovery Fund 9 English Heritage announces new chair 11 Edinburgh’s Tron Kirk takes a step towards restoration 11 Council issues CPO on listed ‘Pru’ building 12 Clocktower built for King’s coronation restored for Queen’s Jubilee 13 Lottery grant kick-starts Brunel Museum transformation 13 Listings commemorate Platinum Jubilee 15 Why the ‘ideal church show ’ is the first date in the diary 15 ‘Mrs CRE’ is called home 17 Seamless technology – aesthetic consideration 18 Top comedian Vine will head up a full cast in Esher 19 How the temple was rebuilt in Slough 20 Bishop Bev welcomes prospect of CRE debut in Liverpool 21 How one man is raising standards in sound, projection and streaming CONTENTS STORYCOVER Richard Shepherd – Business Development Manager Advertising enquiries: Tel: 07429 516265 Email: richard@dmmonline.co.uk All other enquiries: Tel: 0161 710 3880 Fax: 0161 710 3879 • 61 Lower Hillgate, Stockport, Cheshire SK1 3AW Copyright Ecclesiastical & Heritage World. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced or transmitted in any form without prior permission of Ecclesiastical & Heritage World. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. 3DJJPrinted in the UK by The Magazine Printing Company Plc www.magprint.co.uk
The use of radiant heating panels for churches and other public buildings is growing in popularity. The system uses the natural process of heat radiation: similar to that which enables the heat of the sun to warm us. It is just such a system that is to be installed at All Saints’ Church in Harbury, Warwickshire. The church’s Fabric Committee recommended the system after seeing examples at other churches and have held firm to the idea in the face of numerous obstacles. Now the panels are to be installed into the ceiling of All Saints by Mellor and Mottram, the Stoke-onTrent company that has specialised in installing church heating systems for many years. Read the full story on page 7 15 24 39
ROOFING & LEADWORK Pitched Roofing Awards close for entries First roofer passes out from new Level 2 apprenticeship 39 Suffolk churches awarded repair grants 40 Leadworkers’ chairman joins Plumbers at Becket Pageant 40 Metal theft ‘ hit list’ published 41 After celebrating a quarter of a century, roofing contractor looks to the future 42 Leading leadworker tells the story of giant planter installation BRICKS 43 Clay pavers add to new museum’s welcoming atmosphere 45 Brick maker takes a leap towards a hydrogen-fuelled future
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ACCESS & LIGHTNING PROTECTION 46 How a British inventor took Franklin’s ideas to sea 47 Church cross ‘takes the hit ’ of lightning strike IRONWORK & METALWORK 48 Workshop gives student an insight into ironwork conservation 48 NHIG seeks design for new award medallion 49 Birmingham church is crowing again, thanks to cockerel restoration
FIND THE PRODUCT OR SERVICE YOU NEED IN CHURCH & HERITAGE SUPPLIES FROM PAGE 50
Church’s radiant heating will reflect a growing trend
Chris Stokes Editor, Ecclesiastical & Heritage World
• June was the deadline set for projects funded by the government’s Culture Recovery Fund, awarded last year. The National Trust took full advantage of the opportunities offered by the funding to complete projects on no fewer than 15 of its properties. Among the markworthy projects were lavish country mansions, sunken gardens and a former tin mine.
• Church roofs are never far from the news pages. The theft of lead and other metals is a perennial headache and a leading materials supplier has managed to quantify the problem. The north of England is particularly hard hit. Meanwhile, if birds are your bugbear there is some essential advice on the steps you need to take to avoid falling foul, as it were, of the relevant protection laws.
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• Sadly, CRE events in the future will be taking place without its founding couple. Diana Home passed away in June following a six-month fight against cancer. She joins husband Gospatrick, who predeceased her in 2020. They will both be greatly missed. q
• Over the years Mellor and Mottram have been one of the more frequent exhibitors at CRE, dubbed by some the ‘ideal church show’. In this issue other faithful supporters explain why they return time after time. The next national show is in October at what has become CRE’s des res, Sandown Park in Esher. The roadshow that is the regional CRE series heaves to in Liverpool for the first time next May.
• The Jubilee also marked the finishing post for a host of other projects in a range of buildings. A clock that was constructed for another royal occasion – the Coronation of King Edward VII in 1902 – has been restored in time for the Jubilee. It is a fitting time span and hopefully will last a similar period or longer.
• Among Christian denominations, the emergence from COVID restrictions has seen a blossoming of new audio-visual systems to accommodate the ‘persistence of streaming’, to paraphrase Dali. There are many considerations to address, and we are fortunate in once again having the benefit of expert opinion on the subject.
• While occasions such as the Jubilee are useful markers for setting targets, restoration and improvement carry on throughout the year. The past two years have been good ones for libraries: alongside the commissioning of the new library building at Lambeth Palace – amazingly, the first time the priceless archive has had its own home – the Laudian Library at St John’s College, Oxford, has seen its historic columns conserved for the future. A further unique collection, that of the Manchester Jewish Museum, has also seen its environment greatly improved with the building of a stunning extension.
[A THREAD that has been running through recent issues of this publication is that of lighting in churches and other heritage buildings –it makes for good visual impact – and this issue is no different: the striking image of Pershore Abbey decked out for the Platinum Jubilee is a good example of what can be achieved. The Jubilee is the latest occasion to prompt churches to nail their colours to the mast, so to speak.
•A church that is leading the way in limiting its footprint is the medieval All Saints’ in Harbury, Warwickshire – featured on the front cover of this issue. Not only is it installing a new heating system comprising radiant panels, the boilers that power it have been chosen to be hydrogen-ready for when that energy source becomes available. It is being installed by veteran heating experts Mellor and Mottram, whose many exploits we have featured in past issues.
• Historic England announced a clutch of new listings for the Jubilee. A personal favourite is the series of marker stones pointing out the border between Lancashire and Yorkshire on the M62 motorway. That stretch of the road has a family connection: my brother was involved in its construction as a civil engineering student.
The system will be installed in a series of ‘zones’, each individually controlled. As well as the church building it will encompass the adjoining Tom Hauley Room. Mellor and Mottram will be installing its proprietary control system, which allows for both pre-programming of regular services and control from a remote device.
Although not a new method of heating, radiant panels have become more popular in recent years. In its proposal for the DAC the church’s Fabric Committee states: “Radiant heating is a mature and proven technology that has been around for more than a hundred years! The impression that radiant heating is a recent invention is probably a result of its increasing popularity and visibility. Radiant ceiling panels are a proven way of making a large building more comfortable and more energy efficient.”
The installation at Harbury will be the latest in a long list of church installations for Mellor and Mottram. In recent years the team, led by director Stuart Mottram, have criss-crossed the country, installing heating in locations as far apart as Devon and Yorkshire. Nearer to home, last year alone they carried out installations at St Mary’s in Grendon, Northants; St Bartholomew’s in Penn, Warwickshire; St Alphege’s in Solihull, West Midlands; the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary at Beeston, Nottinghamshire; and St Giles’s in Nottingham.
The Grade Two-listed church dates from the medieval period, although it has been rebuilt and reordered frequently. The first mention of a church in the location dates from the mid-12th century.
The hot water for the system at All Saints will be provided by two Remeha Quinta gas boilers (pictured), which will be hydrogen-ready. That latter specification allows for the church’s aspirations to embrace green technology.
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A further string to Mellor and Mottram’s bow is the provision of heating and hot water to educational establishments – particularly when they are housed in listed buildings. Two such establishments where the firm have an on-going relationship are the Roman Catholic retreat at Alton Castle and Denstone College, both in Staffordshire. q • For further information call 0800 644 6240 or 07836 622439, alternatively visit the website at www.mellorandmottram.com
COVER STORY
WORK IS DUE TO BEGIN shortly on the installation of a bold new heating system at All Saints’ Church in Harbury, Warwickshire. The installation will be carried out by church heating specialists Mellor and Mottram of Stoke-on-Trent.
The church has been without heat since December 2019, when the old boiler in the church failed catastrophically – and permanently. In the intervening months the church has been an unwelcoming place, even following the lifting of COVID restrictions, and has seen congregations shrink. Parishioners particularly missed the 2020 Remembrance Day service.
Now, after a great deal of scrutiny, the church is to proceed with the installation of a system of radiant panel heaters set into the ceiling. The panels are manufactured by leading producer Zehnder Group. It is considered to be the most efficient method of heating the congregation. The panels will be supplied in a brown colour to blend in with the timbers of the roof.
Zehnder radiant ceiling panels work on a fundamental natural principle that is identical to the way in which the sun produces warmth. Direct sunlight on a cold winter’s day makes us feel warm and is perceived as comfortable, despite the cold ambient air. The heating effect of the sun is produced by electromagnetic waves that penetrate
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The radiant panels are heated by hot water and give off energy to the room. That energy is converted into heat only when it comes into contact with the human body or other objects.
Church’s radiant heating will reflect a growing trend
the air without losing energy. That energy is only converted into heat when it comes into contact with the human body.
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In accepting the role, Gerard Lemos said: “I am honoured at the prospect of chairing English Heritage and very much looking forward to working with the board, Kate Mavor and her team. The charity cares for a unique collection of stone circles and castles, abbeys and historic houses, right across the villages and towns, the countryside and cities of England. “Taken together, this collection is a national museum of England, with a site in – or near to – almost every community. It is a collection that should be cherished and it is a collection that tells the story of this country. As the future Chair of English Heritage, I want to help everyone feel part of England’s story.” q [
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Mr Lemos (pictured) is also a director of the social research company Lemos&Crane and the author of a number of publications examining the role communities can play in our society and how to support vulnerable people, including The Communities We Have Lost and Can Regain (with Michael Young) and The Good Prison: Conscience, Crime and Punishment. He is a trustee of the Donmar Warehouse and chairs the Hofesh Shechter dance company, as well as the Warburg Renaissance Steering Group at the University of London. He has been involved in renovating historic buildings throughout his entire career, in particular during his roles within the housing and community regeneration sectors. His heritage experience includes his years as a trustee at Dartington Hall in Devon, where the medieval house and listed garden became a centre for progressive learning in the arts, ecology and social justice. Born in India, Lemos grew up in Croydon and studied History and English at the University of York. He divides his time between Devon and London.
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The Culture Recovery Fund has covered 80% of the project works, with the trust finding the remainder with support from Woodmansterne, Little Greene, Stevensons, Wentworth Wooden Puzzles, Alitex, Burgon & Ball and Westminster Stone, all of whom produce brand licensed collections alongside the National Trust and support its conservation work. In addition, Little Greene has been involved in the restorations at Dyrham Park and Allan Bank by providing expertise in matching original colours in the rooms and the paints used. q
NT completes projects, thanks to Culture Recovery Fund
PROJECTS AT 15 National Trust properties across England have been completed as a result of grants received from the second round of the Culture Recovery Fund awarded by Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
English Heritage announces new chair
At Allan Bank in the Lake District, once the residence of William Wordsworth, restoration has been completed in the Billiard Room, to include conservation and re-installation of the stained glass windows and repairs to the ceiling, masonry and joinery. At Cliveden in Buckinghamshire the Grade Two Victorian conservatory, part of the wider historic estate, has been repaired – notably the original castiron structural frame and timbers, creating an improved café for use by visitors. Hilary McGrady, director-general of the National Trust, said: “We are enormously grateful for the support provided to us through the Culture Recovery Fund. During the first year of the pandemic we faced major financial challenges and had to put on hold all of our conservation projects, however urgent. “The Recovery Fund was created at a crucial time for the heritage sector. The support it provided meant we could undertake work that would otherwise not have been possible, in turn generating much-needed investment in heritage skills, jobs and suppliers. Some of our most important historic places have benefited from this funding, safeguarding our shared heritage for everyone to enjoy, now and for ever.”
ENGLISH HERITAGE has announced that its next chair will be Gerard Lemos CMG. He is a former chair of the British Council, the founding chair of the Akram Khan dance company and the current chair of the Agency Board of Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service.
Photo by National Trust Images – David Evans
The funding has enabled the charity to carry out work ranging from conservation of the roof turrets at the dramatic Elizabethan Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire and repairs to Wheal Betsy, an iconic former tin mine in Devon, to restoration of the historic walls in the Walled Garden at Shugborough Hall in Staffordshire and the replacement of three supporting stone corbels on the minstrels’ gallery at Seaton Delaval Hall in AmongNorthumberland.themostcomplex of the projects has been a series of works as part of a major transformation of Dyrham Park near Bath, the baroque mansion built by civil servant William Blathwayt in the 17th century.
The funding for Dyrham enabled the restoration of the elaborate iron gates which once formed the original entrance, repair to the roof of a hidden passageway linking the house to the adjacent church, and the specialist redecoration of the Great Hall to reinstate its historic wood-grain effects (pictured).
Lemos will take up the post in January and will succeed English Heritage’s current chair Sir Tim Laurence, whose second term of office comes to an end in December this year.
The Culture Recovery Fund, distributed through Historic England, was set up by the government to support cultural organisations and heritage sites during the coronavirus pandemic. A grant of £3.3m was awarded to the National Trust in 2021 for projects to be completed by June this year.
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q
Edinburgh’s Tron Kirk takes a step towards restoration
Now, the council has taken legal action to acquire the Union Street building from its private owner in order to carry out much-needed restoration and bring it back into use as a business incubation hub.
The exterior of the Tron Kirk on the Royal Mile; and some of the stained glass windows installed in the Victorian era
Cllr Chadderton added: “The hub will be focused primarily on the creative, digital and media sectors. It will provide a high-quality, flexible, low-cost space for small businesses in a beautiful building. The hub will complement the co-working space we are creating as part of the Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre redevelopment, giving businesses that use the co-working space a more permanent base to expand.”
“I’m confident they will do the same with the Tron Kirk, which has acted as a gathering place for the people of Edinburgh for almost 400Scottishyears.”Historic Buildings Trust is a charity and building preservation trust with over 40 years’ experience saving derelict and redundant buildings throughout the whole of Scotland. The trust collaborates with local communities and specialists to preserve significant properties at risk. With a small team and no public funding they have already restored over 30 buildings and raised in excess of £30m. Scottish Design Exchange (SDX), the social enterprise company that offers retail outlets for Scotland’s artists and makers, will occupy the Tron as SHBT’s tenant while the trust undertakes a feasibility study to set out a future vision for the building, working with the local community to develop a sustainable use. q
OLDHAM COUNCIL has issued a compulsory purchase order (CPO) to save the derelict Prudential Assurance Building in the town centre. The Grade Two-listed building has been named by the Victorian Society as one of the most endangered buildings in the UK.
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Oldham Council Leader Amanda Chadderton said: “The Prudential building is a landmark in Oldham town centre, but sadly it has been left to rot. We share the concerns of residents and heritage experts and are committed to protecting this important building for future generations. “It has been largely unused for the past 12 years. Despite efforts to engage with the owner it continues to fall further into disrepair, posing a danger to the public and becoming a target for anti-social behaviour. We will not sit by and watch this happen. The CPO will give us the powers to take action and give the Prudential building a brilliant new future.”
The Prudential building, built in 1889, was designed by one of the Victorian period’s greatest architects, Alfred Waterhouse, whose other buildings include the Natural History Museum and Manchester Town Hall. The council will bring the building back into use while preserving its historic character. It has secured Future High Street funding to support proposals to transform the building into a business incubation hub.
THE CITY OF EDINBURGH COUNCIL has handed the keys of the Tron Kirk on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile to Scottish Historic Buildings Trust (SHBT) as the new custodians of the building. The council selected SHBT as its preferred partner to restore the Tron in 2021 and the charity has now signed a five-year lease in an agreement that will see it take on the management role of the building as it develops the restoration project. That will convert to a 125-year lease when the capital project is ready to begin.TheTron Kirk is one of the iconic buildings of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. Built in 1637-1641 and designed by John Mylne, the Royal Master Mason, it stands tall with a mix of Palladian and Gothic elements. The interior has mostly been stripped out, but the original hammerbeam-style roof survives. Further work in the 17th century saw the steeple grow in height, though it was wooden and burnt down in 1824. Later in the 19th century renovations were carried out to the interior of the Tron Kirk which involved the creation of a new gallery and a new pulpit in 1888. Those renovations probably coincided with the installation of the Victorian stained glass windows which are still present. Councillor Mandy Watt, Depute Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “This is a building which has withstood centuries of change. It has survived the Great Fire of Edinburgh and two World Wars. In recent years, however, it has been at serious risk of disrepair. “Scottish Historic Buildings Trust has an excellent track record of preserving buildings like this. Their work securing sustainable futures for Riddle’s Court in the Old Town and Custom House in Leith are two great examples.
Council issues CPO on listed ‘Pru’ building [
Clocktower built for King’s coronation restored for Queen’s Jubilee
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The Smith of Derby clock mechanism and its 4ft diameter dials have been repaired, together with the electrical illumination from within, which was originally gas. The work has also included the fabrication from scratch of the long-lost lanterns, matching those originally installed; however, now with LEDBeforelighting.1902
To continue that function four large brass gas lanterns were fitted to four sides of the octagonal clock tower. Those lanterns were then abandoned in favour of the more modern – for the time – electricity. They were then removed in the 1960s, firstly being replaced with hanging baskets and then finally being removed altogether. The baskets were then replaced, together with the original gas finials, as part of a major refurbishment in 2002, the clock’s centenary year.
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A modern addition, the clocktower now boasts a new plaque, part written in Braille for people with a sight disability, which reads: “Swale Borough Council extensively restored 120 year old Sheerness Clock Tower during the Platinum Jubilee year of HM Queen Elizabeth II 2022.”
Martin Butchers, complex projects manager at Smith of Derby, who oversaw the project, said: “It has been fantastic right from the start and has also involved our apprentice team. It’s all gone very much to plan. Obviously, we expected a few hiccoughs along the way but we did a trial run back in Derby and the whole structure has gone back together very well.”
The Crescent junction in Sheerness town centre was illuminated by The Big Lamp, described by the Sheerness Times as a ‘fifteenfoot column supporting a very large lantern’. It protected eight or nine large batwing gas burners, which lit The Crescent brilliantly for those days.
“It's amazing what Smith of Derby has done. It's absolutely worth the money. They have not only fixed all the structural problems, but discovered the original paint scheme and created hand-made lanterns which are very similar to how they would have looked when the clock was new.”
©Donna
• For further information visit the website at www.smithofderby.com, call 01332 345569 or contact Jane Betts at jane.betts@smithofderby.com Mansi
Swale Council worked with Rose Street Primary School on a time capsule to go under the clock as a way of encouraging local children to consider the passage of time and explore the history of the town; feeling connected to its past and future. q
THE 120-YEAR-OLD Coronation Clocktower has been returned to The Crescent in Sheerness, Kent, after seven months of detailed repair work by clock and dial restoration specialists Smith of Derby. The clock and tower were returned to their rightful place in May from Smiths workshop – in time for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Having made the clock originally, Smith’s were well positioned to undertake the restoration work, taking on the additional responsibility of restoring the tower and creating from scratch a number of original pieces that had been lost over the years. Built in 1902, the Grade Two-listed timepiece was unveiled on 26 June of that year to mark the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. The original clocktower contract with Walter McFarlane & Co of Glasgow was to cast and supply the 34ft 6in-high 8-ton cast iron clock tower at a cost of £350. During the restoration the previous colour scheme of red, white and blue was stripped and replaced with the original colours of holly bush green with dashes of gold and red. Four dragon sculptures – which sit at each corner at the top of the tower – and 24 small red flowers were bead-blasted and gilded with 22.5 carat gold leaf, while the tower’s 100kg (220lb) bell was cleaned and polished. It was cast by the John Taylor and Co foundry of Loughborough, who had cast Great Paul, the great bell of St Paul’s Cathedral.
Cllr Monique Bonney, cabinet member for the economy and property, said: “The project has gone fantastically well, although it started off as a paint job and then we discovered some severe structural defects. So it was decided to do a full nine-yards restoration.
Heritage Minister Nigel Huddleston commented: “These historic sites provide a fantastic opportunity to reflect on how much life in the UK has changed during Her Majesty The Queen's 70-year reign.
The project will see the Engine House restored to its former glory and a new gallery created. Within that, a brand-new exhibition will give everyone a chance to learn about the Brunels innovatively, with new technology such as augmented reality –particularly fitting for that forward-thinking family. A new Welcome Pavilion will transform the visitor experience with accessible facilities, shop and cafe, enabling more people to visit and learn about this important heritage.
“The Thames Tunnel is where Isambard Kingdom Brunel learnt his trade from his father, so it is only fitting as part of the project there’s a big focus on education. We’re thrilled to provide a traineeship and work experience and will also be working with primary school history and STEM learning programmes. “We’re hoping that by enabling more people to learn about the amazing story of the Brunels, we can inspire the next generation of engineers.” q
Listings
Lottery grant kick-starts Brunel Museum transformation
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A collection of 30 watercolours known as the Thames Tunnel Archive will also be on display for the first time. They were painted by the Brunels throughout the Thames Tunnel project and offer a unique insight into its creation. Exceptional for their beauty, artistic merit and technical detail, the drawings have been described as the most important Brunel collection ever to enter the public domain. They were buried in a family album for almost 200 years but were acquired by the museum in 2017 and have been waiting to find their permanent home on the walls of the restored Engine House.
The museum’s Katherine McAlpine commented: “We’re thrilled to have received this support from the Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we’re not only able to revolutionise the museum and its space, but look at how we involve and interact with our local community and schools here in Southwark. Having this new space means that we can engage more with everyone and involve them in what the next 200 years will look like for us.
PlatinumcommemorateJubilee
The aim is to transform the site into a more inclusive and accessible space, to tell the fascinating stories of Marc and Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
Listing them as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations is a fitting way to pay tribute to the longevity of her service.”
SIX HISTORIC SITES have been listed by the DCMS, on Historic England’s advice, in celebration of The Queen’s PlatinumRangingJubilee.froma theatre and an archive to a church and markers on a major motorway, the listings aim to highlight some of the many important places from Her Majesty’s reign and to reflect the important social, technical and cultural changes which have taken place over the past 70 years.
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The six sites are: the Imperial Hotel, Stroud (Grade Two), All Saints’ Church, Shard End, Birmingham (Grade Two), Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch, Greater London (Grade Two), the Hampshire Archives, Winchester (Grade Two), Sun Pavilion and Colonnade, Harrogate, North Yorkshire (Grade Two) and commemorative markers and plaques marking the border between Lancashire and Yorkshire on the M62 motorway (Grade Two).
THE BRUNEL MUSEUM in Rotherhithe been awarded a grant of £1.85m by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, enabling it to start work on its Brunel Museum Reinvented project. The three-year project aims to be completed by 2025 to coincide with the 200th anniversary of work beginning on the Thames Tunnel, where the museum is based.
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The listings complement Historic England’s recently-launched educational online story map, which shows The Queen visiting heritage sites throughout the country as a celebration of the Platinum Jubilee. q
Courtesy of Historic England
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“For decades she was ‘Mrs CRE’ and we will miss her infectious personality, sense of humour, generous spirit and determination to see a vision realised,” said current CRE owner Steve Goddard. “To her it wasn’t just about inventive projects and systems. A people person, she would often be seen ‘chatting’ the gospel to bemused exhibition venue staff and praying with them when the opportunity presented itself.”
DIANA HOME, who had the original vision for CRE in the early 1980s, died in June after a six-month battle with cancer.
While her husband Gos – who died in April 2020 – got on with the vital nuts and bolts of the exhibition, Di always saw beyond its business side. The event was a means to an end, bringing new and sometimes radical ways for churches to extend the kingdom of God in today’s world.
Why the ‘ideal church show’ is the first date in the diary
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Long-standing exhibitor Juliet Hemingray said: “Diana was a very supportive friend who truly cared for us all: a wonderful mother hen who nurtured many an exhibitor. Thank you, Lord, for loaning us Gos and Di: a wonderful couple.” q [OFTEN DUBBED ‘the ideal church show’, the Christian Resources Exhibition (CRE) offers organisations direct contact with thousands of key purchasers involved with the maintenance and mission of their local church. Many long-term exhibitors book their stands way into the future. Such is the case with Chris Dunphy, founder of heating specialists ChurchEcoMiser – pictured below with broadcaster Simon Thomas at CRE West earlier this year. Chris has exhibited at CRE for more than three decades and has already booked a stand at the next two shows: CRE National at Sandown Park in Esher, Surrey, on 11-13 October and CRE North, which takes place at the Exhibition Centre in Liverpool on 3-4 May next year. “It’s the first date in my diary each year,” he said. “I can meet local church decision makers face to face and discuss their requirements first hand in a unique, friendly environment. My business has grown as a direct result.” Another long-time exhibitor is Diane Pontin of furniture specialists GoPak Ltd. “We have supported CRE from its inception in 1985,” said Diane. “It is a great opportunity to discuss new products with a huge number of prospects and existing customers in one Decadesplace.”of experience have given the exhibition’s organisers unequalled understanding of the church market. More than one in three CRE visitors is ordained and 38% come as part of a local church leadership team – looking for advice from experts in everything from heating to seating, lecterns to lighting, sound systems to stained glass suppliers. “It is no easy task looking after a building open to the general public,” said CRE owner and MD Steve Goddard. “Our visitors rely on us to bring together specialists with the expertise to help them. The nearest thing to a trade show for churches, we encourage local church leaders, officers and decisionmakers to attend: specifically those with direct responsibility for the mission and maintenance of their churches.” The exhibition also encourages organisations to share their expertise by contributing to the talks programme that runs alongside the exhibition over all three days. “Our talks programme is unique on the church calendar,” said Steve Goddard, “focusing as it does on the nuts and bolts of day-to-day church life. Any organisation with a product or service that meets a need in the local church is invited to join us.” More information about CRE can be found at www.creonline.co.uk, where tickets can be booked. For information on exhibiting, contact the CRE sales team: Carol on 0161 250 2467 (carol@creonline.co.uk) or James on 0161 250 2306 (james@creonline.co.uk). q
OBITUARY
‘Mrs CRE’ is called home [
The brief also required a simple-to-use audio mixing interface, but with the capability to control numerous mixes such as musicians, streaming, recording and live audio. A fully-fledged digital mixer was deemed to be overly complex, so the Allen & Heath AHM-64 matrix mixer was specified with dual IP8 fader controllers. Full control over all parameters of the audio system is accessible via both tactile and wireless iPAD control, but without the intimidating knobs and buttons found on more complex mixers. New radio microphones were installed, along with audio playback – including Bluetooth connectivity –and recording systems. Cloud-managed Wi-Fi and networking provides secure access and control of the audio-visual system while allowing CAVS to fully manage the system remotely for the highest ongoing support for the church.
The visual system consists of three winched projection screens which hide away behind the main chancel arch and into the ceilings of the side aisles when not in use. They utilise Epson 8K and 5K lumen laser projectors for the highest image quality across all sources, from words to pictures and video. In addition, lampless laser technology ensures reduced maintenance over the life of the projectors while markedly raising the overall reliability of the system.
The audio system was designed to provide true full-range capability for live worship and playback of music and video, while ensuring the discreet placement of speakers in the building. JBL Control series speakers – matched to appropriate amplification and advanced speaker processing – provide seamless coverage from front to back in stereo, to maximise clarity and intelligibility for music and video.
Three motorised, high-definition PTZ cameras from PTZOptics were installed, primarily for flexible streaming of all areas of the church as well as showing close-ups on the screens when required.
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17www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk Seamless technology –aesthetic consideration
Finally, the equipment was installed within a bespoke console –providing a tactile operating desk for up to three operators. It is fully lockable for security and allows growth space for further system development. q • For an on-site installation consultation or for advice on the right equipment for your church, call or email CAVS on 0844 5678 065, email sales@cavsolutions.co.uk or visit www.cavsolutions.co.uk. Local references are available upon request. You can also ‘like’ them on Facebook at cavsolutions.
A Roland V8-HD production mixer was specified to provide a single, tactile control system for both the in-house projection system and online streaming feed – allowing for full independent control over both outputs, along with useful features such as keying (the overlay of words over images) and picture-in-picture inserts –allowing numerous images to be shown on one screen. A multi-view display allows all sources, such as cameras and computer inputs, to be reviewed and cued before committing them to the output.
HOLY TRINITY CHURCH IN NORTHWOOD recently commissioned Creative Audio-Visual Solutions (CAVS) – the dedicated church audio and visual supplier – to install a new audio and visual system, bringing discreet projection, live streaming and audio into the traditional church setting. The brief was to ensure that that all the new equipment fitted seamlessly into the environment while providing the latest technologies for full range worship and advanced multimedia display.
Vine will head up a full cast in Esher
18 Topwww.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.ukcomedian
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ONE OF THE UK’S best-loved comedians will open CRE National 2022. Tim Vine (pictured), who has been on the UK circuit for more than 25 years and is best known for his on-the-spot jokes and outrageous puns, grew up a stone’s throw from an Anglican church. He made a personal decision about faith when he was “about 12, at one of those Pathfinder camps.” “Belief in God felt natural,” he said. “I always enjoyed singing ‘Oh, how good is the Lord’ and all those great ones like ‘When the road is rough and steep, fix your eyes upon Jesus’.” He will open CRE at 10am on 11 October “As long as I have a red ribbon between two free standing poles and a large pair of scissors!” He will then be interviewed by Steve Legg, editor of Sorted, the UK’s leading Christian men’s magazine. In addition to Tim, live performances will include presentations by Saltmine Theatre Co. The Dudley-based company has been reaching people with the gospel for more than 40 years with custom-designed sketches, national productions, issue-based theatre and workshops. Members of the company will perform samples of their Musicwork.willbe provided by Jonathan Veira. Less than 18 months ago, top opera and gospel singer Jonathan’s life was saved when his wife Sue donated a kidney to him. He returns to CRE National on 13 October, at 3pm, singing songs he performed to thousands of people on Facebook and Youtube during lockdown. Other special features at this year’s CRE National include Children’s Ministry Day on 12 October, hosted by Hand in Hand and Children Matter, Mission Worship Wednesday with Lou Fellingham and friends – also on 12 October – and Mission on the Map, with a Mission Aviation Fellowship plane as a centrepiece, which will run for all three days. All that will be running alongside a comprehensive programme of talks, which is still being finalised. The programme will feature discussions on topics that include Church and climate change: a message of hope, Writing a church drug policy and Fundraising for major local church projects q
The floor levels have been reconciled to create a mostly level access floor, which has been carpeted in a colour which works very well with the cleaned red brick walls.
The Ancaster and Bath stone features of the columns and quoins have also been cleaned, and beautifully lit by floor lights. The William Morris-type frieze was restored by a local artist and painter. It is breathtaking. Jeremy Bell BArch MEd, RIBA architect and director of JBKS Architects, writes: “The thanks need to start from those visionaries who saw the importance of serving the growing local community with a place of worship. They did not just build a shed: Gilliat didn’t skimp; then the steadfast endurance of Mike Cotterell and Chris Broadbent: and finally, Thanks be to God.
The completed project in 2019
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In 1975 the interior was severely compromised, perhaps with the best intentions, by the construction of a flatroofed interior hall, built in the west end of the nave. It left a sad, foreshortened nave and an out-of-proportion grand chancel, which was then itself a thing of little use or meaning, except that the AV screen was balanced on the choir stalls. It was time for a re-think. The then vicar Rev Mike Cotterell and warden Chris Broadbent have been the stalwart stewards of the long and difficult road to the now-completed project, masterminded by JBKS Architects.
“Psalm 127 states ‘Unless the Lord builds the house, the labour is in vain’. The new church is for His glory and His honour and His praise. May it be filled with His presence, and bring support, faith, hope and salvation to the local Christian community – and beyond – from such interesting and diverse backgrounds.” original nave and chancel steps before the works; excavation of levels; detail of seating Irish Contract Seating
The story of Nehemiah rebuilding the temple walls in Jerusalem (Nehemiah, Chapters 1-7) is so often paralleled in church projects. This was no exception, except that it only took Nehemiah 52 days to repair the walls: call it more like a decade-and-a-half at St Paul’s.
q How the temple was rebuilt in Slough (l-r) The
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Work on the reordering project started with a planning application to turn another site, owned by St Pauls, into a housing site for sale. That was turned down and appealed in 2004. The appeal was upheld and planning permission was granted, which allowed the site to be sold to pump-prime the project. That was not the end of the worries, or obstacles. It took until 2018 to get to the point of starting to build. One would have thought it would then be a straight run to completion; but no, the contractor refused to sign the contract, demanded more money, and then proceeded with the building process – making outrageous claims for additional monies all along the way. At least there were no major quality issues up to practical completion. By then the builder had gone into administration. It was not easy, but worth it. The results are a magnificent transformation of the original church into, dare one say it, a much more spectacular interior than was there before. The main features of the new configuration are that the main entrance is now on the side of the building, leading into the chancel – which is a stunning, high and spacious foyer. It is separated from the nave by a huge glass screen, 10m tall, made of a combination of glass with oak timber supports. The mighty cross in the centre is not an added element, but part of the structure. The congregation’s lives are held up by the cross of Jesus Christ. The nave is turned sideways. Although on a north-south axis, nothing is lost of the main drive and axis of the original church. The geometry is not at all incongruous.
Former church warden Dr Chris Broadbent described the church’s position thus, in a Statement of Significance: “As a parish today, long gone are the horses and carriages of the Edwardian era. St Paul’s is now an evangelistic Anglican community with a distinctly multi-ethnic congregation that reflects the diversity within the whole of the town. What has never altered is its commitment to spreading God’s word in Slough and helping Christians grow in their discipleship. The diversity has come with waves of immigration. After the 2nd World War, there was an influx of Poles and Ukrainians. This trend continued in the early fifties, with workers arriving from the West Indies, India and Pakistan.”
TIRED…AND VERY DRY, like an old wine skin: that was how St Paul’s in Slough was described in this, the 21st century. It still carried the magnificence of scale of its original form, but over a century since it was built it was a very sad looking place: especially the interior, having lost all of its grandeur. It had such an honourable history: sponsored by Algernon Gilliat of Stoke Poges in 1906. He was a benefactor, businessman and merchant banker; and he was building on the local mission work of Miss Kate Buee, a local doctor’s daughter who visited the sick and held regular meetings in one of the cottages of Stoke Gardens. The local community grew to around two to three thousand people with the influx of Great Western Railway employees.
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20 Bishopwww.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.ukBev welcomes prospect of CRE debut in Liverpool [
There are 1,450 parking spaces available in the on-site Kings Dock car park, with accessible bays and electric charging points on every floor. Lime Street station is just a short taxi or bus ride away, with direct services to London that take a little over two hours. “In line with our other regional exhibitions, we expect half the visitors to be CRE first-timers – providing a fresh audience for our 140-plus exhibitors,” said Steve Goddard. “And for organisations that have struggled from the effects of COVID-19, our new CRE Bursary is an option to help them meet the costs of a stand.” Potential exhibitors are invited to contact the CRE sales team: Carol on 0161 250 2467 ( carol@creonline.co.uk ) or James on 0161 250 2306 ( james@creonline.co.uk ). Visitor registration will open in early autumn. q
THE BISHOP OF WARRINGTON has welcomed the news that Liverpool will host CRE North for the first time next year.
“The event will showcase current Christian work and ministry, spotlight justice initiatives and draw us into the marketplace of Christian resources,” said The Rt Revd Beverley Mason. “There’ll be much to do and see and it will prove a fun and interesting day whether you come on your own or with friends and colleagues.” CRE North 2023 will take place on 3-4 May in the Exhibition Centre, a purpose-built venue in a stunning waterfront location on the banks of the Mersey. Liverpool city centre, two famous cathedrals and numerous places of historical and cultural significance are within walking distance. “We couldn’t ask for a better place to hold the event,” said CRE owner Steve Goddard. “With our registered offices in nearby St Helens it really is a homecoming and we have already received a warm welcome from local church leaders and members alike. “Our last exhibition in the north was at Event City, Manchester in 2019. The pandemic disrupted our plans but we are now delighted to announce our return to the region.”
With the rise in availability of digital mixers, operating the sound system can be done from anywhere in the church from an iPad – which is far less daunting than standing at a conventional mixing console with about 400 buttons!
• To contact Andy Pidsley and the APi Team call 0845 557 8350 or visit www.churchsoundsystems.co
It’s difficult to pinpoint one, as every church or heritage building has its own set of challenges, even if they look similar. Often the most difficult element is designing a system which has minimal impact on the fabric of the church. For example, a tricky installation was St Andrew's in Cullompton, because we had to design a completely unique mechanism to lift a projection screen from the top of the rood screen – avoiding causing damage to the very precious woodwork. It was imperative that the screen was invisible when not in use, which we managed to achieve, and now the congregation are able to use digital media during their services, which has really enhanced their experience on a Sunday.
I am fortunate to have a very experienced team here at APi, so we are able to overcome almost any challenge that these beautiful buildings present. q
What is the most challenging installation you have ever had to do, and why?
21www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk
How one man is raising standards in sound, projection and streaming
In the last issue of Ecclesiastical and Heritage World we discovered how APi Sound and Visual managing director Andy Pidsley worked his way up through the ranks, building a thriving business across the South of England. Andy also gave us some useful tips on funding. In this issue Andy dispels some common myths in the industry and describes some of the challenges the APi team have faced in recent years – especially since the arrival of COVID-19. Has COVID-19 had a big impact upon the industry? Without a doubt, COVID-19 has been the biggest challenge we have faced in the nearly 20 years since I started APi. From juggling staff on furlough to the nearly-impossible task of trying to find accommodation for our engineers when they were working away during lockdowns, it was tough. We work all across the South to London and up as far into the Midlands as Birmingham, so I was having to check local restrictions before sending my engineers out to each site. COVID has also had a huge impact on stock levels, especially for particular products. Before lockdown I could place an order on Monday and the equipment would turn up the next day; but now some products can take several months to arrive! In terms of the type of work we are undertaking in churches, APi are still largely installing sound, projectors and screens; however, the demand for web streaming has been the biggest area of growth within the industry and is certainly one of our most popular services. At APi we have helped those starting from scratch or wanting to improve their current web streaming set-up. Are there any common myths in the industry you would like to dispel? I would say the biggest myth we come across is that an AV system is going to be complicated. I make sure that any system we fit is designed for the customer, including the level of sophistication they require and the experience of those operating it. For the streaming systems we now install we have developed a customisable controller, which means camera pre-sets, streaming start/ stop functions, projectors and other devices can all be controlled from this single device. That means even someone who has never used the system before could come up and run a service on Sunday and anyone watching at home gets a high-quality stream to watch.
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ON THE FRONT COVER of the last issue we showcased the spectacular sight of Ely Cathedral lit in the colours of the Ukraine flag in a show of sympathy and solidarity. It was a recent and impactful example of ways in which modern technology has made it possible for lighting schemes to be used to carry messages – allowing churches and other public buildings to wear their hearts on their sleeves. The recent Diamond Jubilee saw a veritable crowning glory of such messages, topped by the frontage of Buckingham Palace but repeated on a more lowly scale by churches around the country, such as the 16thcentury Church of St Mary the Virgin in Monken Hadley, Hertfordshire (above left) lit in the signature purple of the Jubilee. Aside from flags and national emblems, the use the use of colour in lighting to convey a message was used to great effect during the pandemic to express thanks and support for the NHS. The distinctive blue of the NHS was seen across the nation, such as at the medieval Church of St Andrew in Halstead, Essex (above). Often, the significance of the building adds gravitas to the message it is conveying. Among the many examples are the lighting of the Millennium Bridge in Gateshead to convey the message of suicide prevention. The whole idea of using lights to convey a message goes back way further than any of these events, of course, and reminds us of what Christianity is all about. We all put up Christmas lights. q
Lighting schemes can help show your true colours
Photo ©Barabbas 1312 Photo ©kitmasterbloke
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[LEDSTON HALL is a Grade One-listed manor house close to Leeds, with a rich history going back to the 11th century. It sits in 3,000 acres of beautiful gardens and parkland.
Following a consultation between TGA's specialist lighting designer James Davison and Darren Renforth of specialist heritage lighting manufacturer Dernier & Hamlyn, it was decided to replicate the lanterns. The aim was to produce exact copies of the existing lanterns while improving the light levels by using modern and efficient LED technology.
The property’s owners, The Wheler Foundation, commissioned TGA Consulting Engineers to form part of a project team led by Purcell Architects to repair and conserve the building’s historic fabric. It included redevelopment of part of the property into houses and apartments alongside the retention of some of the principal rooms, including the 12th-century chapel. Ledston’s east entrance has an impressive stone staircase that is flanked on each side by iron lanterns. It is thought that the lanterns were manufactured in the early 1900s as gasoliers and mounted on oak posts.
Having talked through the requirements with Dernier & Hamlyn’s team of artisan makers and designers, drawings were produced in Dernier & Hamlyn’s studio and presented to TGA. The new six-metre-high lanterns were made in steel, finished in a black RAL colour and fitted with curved glass. Not only does that mean they will not rust, but they were also lighter and therefore easier to mount on the wooden posts.
Over time they had deteriorated so that they no longer added to the imposing doorway in the way that they were intended.
23www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk New lanterns replicate early 20th-century gasoliers
To deliver the special lanterns from Dernier & Hamlyn’s Surrey factory to West Yorkshire required specialist handling to ensure they arrived in perfect condition, so the team built specialist wooden cradles.
Dernier & Hamlyn’s head of production Mark Pye commented: “We are often asked to replicate heritage light fittings. Our extensive lighting archive provides invaluable reference material and to be able to reinterpret history to make it better than ever is very rewarding.” q (l-r) One of the lanterns in its original state; the project in progress; one of the lanterns being painted; and the completed look
Pershore Abbey tower: a fitting tribute for the Jubilee
The Vicar of Pershore Abbey, Canon Claire Lording, said: “The abbey often gets requests to light up the tower in different colours for awareness campaigns and events and, up until the evening before the Jubilee celebrations started, we had to decline as white light was our only option.
• For further information call 01453 825 130, email enquiries@anthonyjsmith.co.uk or visit www.anthonyjsmith.co.uk
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Until recently the tower has externally been bathed in white light during the hours of darkness. However, a generous donation from The Friends of Pershore Abbey has enabled a new state-of-the-art colour change LED floodlighting system to be installed by lighting specialists Anthony J Smith(Glos) Ltd. It was first used over the Jubilee weekend with the tower being illuminated in red, white and blue which cycled through the colours every 15 seconds.
Che Polley from Anthony J Smith(Glos) Ltd added: “We are fortunate to be involved with this prestigious building and it was a pleasure to be invited back to assist with such a visible project.
PERSHORE ABBEY was one of the largest medieval abbeys in Britain – even larger than Worcester Cathedral – before it was part destroyed in the Reformation. The tower was added in 1350 and has stood as a beacon which can be seen for several miles across the district.
“Having completed the first part of the internal works, which consisted of the sanctuary, nave, aisles and east end sections of the abbey, we will shortly be returning to relight the architecturally challenging west end of the building – this includes the open plan bell ringing platform which appears to hover in mid air 100ft above ground level.” q
25www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk
“The project had been ready to go for some time but was delayed by COVID. A delay in the materials being delivered meant that it was a last-minute heroic effort by our lighting contractors Anthony J Smith(Glos)Ltd to ensure that it was completed in time for the Jubilee weekend.
“The LED lighting will mostly produce white lighting throughout the year but the system will allow us to illuminate the tower in a myriad of colours for various occasions, such as for the Plum Fair.”
“The issue is further compounded when modern LED light sources need to be dimmed and linked to any form of separate lighting control system.”
The company provide a bespoke design service for each individual church lighting project, be it interior or exterior – from initial meeting and informal discussions right through to final focusing and commissioning of the completed project. q
family of the very latest bespoke high-quality ‘commercial grade’ LED luminaires, specifically designed for all types of ecclesiastical lighting tasks. Its extensive range of LED products, along with many related LED luminaire lighting accessories, now takes the company’s overall lighting portfolio to the next level of technical innovation. ’Colour change’ lighting, linked to DMX or DALI controls, is increasingly proving popular for selected church interior and exterior illumination applications. The company also has an unrivalled knowledge of and expertise in all modern intelligent dimming and smart lighting control systems.
Gerry Browne continued: “Whilst modern, easy internet access is now widely available, with the lure and attraction of all types of low-cost LED products, many end-user clients have tremendous difficulty in differentiating between the various price points available online or locally, and in particular understanding the prime differences between highquality ‘commercial grade’ LED luminaires and their counterpart ‘short-life, poor performance’ low-cost alternatives.
Lighting Dynamics UK has, if required, a fully-qualified team of NICEICregistered electricians to carry out the installation of interior and exterior lighting systems to current electrical standards and regulations. The team is extremely experienced in working within all types of ecclesiastical buildings, including and especially those with listed status.
“Richard de Potesgrave,” the bishop said, “was not only a chaplain to Edward II and Edward III, but also their trusted officer, employed in important duties for them, so that, no doubt, he was materially assisted by Edward III.”
The church is also the site of one of the most recently-completed lighting upgrade projects carried out by Lighting Dynamics UK, which has long been established as one of the UK’s premier companies specialising in the interior and exterior lighting of cathedrals, churches and other places of worship across all religious denominations.
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Lighting Dynamics UK offers a very comprehensive range of modern, energy-saving and top-quality lighting equipment, including an extensive
Lincolnshire ‘Queen’ of parish churches is latest to benefit from lighting specialists’ attention
In addition to a fine stained-glass window in the church’s south aisle, the church contains what has been described as the finest grouping of Easter Sepulchre, Sedalia and piscina in the country.
The 14th-century church was endowed by a former vicar, one Richard de Potesgrave, who was chaplain to both Edward II and Edward III. How a lowly vicar could take on the building of a magnificent church is explained by a letter written in 1892 by the Venerable Edward Trollope, Bishop of Nottingham, quoted in a history of the church written by Sandra Sardeson.
27www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk
Founder Gerry Browne explained: “It has been established that most customers are increasingly looking for someone with the flair and experience to provide a quality lighting design, whilst also specifying top-grade, high-quality ‘commercial grade’ lighting equipment and controls that will provide longevity, reliability and overall flexibility for their specific ecclesiastical lighting upgrade project. However, achieving the optimum lighting design solution is a long-term process which involves educating, informing and demonstrating to all members of a specific project team what can be achieved.”
The parish website describes the new system thus: “Heckington Church has just had a new internal lighting system fitted which shows off this amazing building in a whole new light, and the 14th-century carvings in the chancel look incredible. Do come and have a Lightinglook.”Dynamics UK has a significant number of prestigious church lighting projects currently in progress, with some at advanced stages of planning and design. The company is dedicated to offering a totally independent, creative, imaginative, unbiased lighting design, as well as an in-depth consultancy service and, where required, the supply of all associated and specified lighting equipment. Since its establishment the company has established a reputation for creating practical and architecturally sympathetic lighting schemes. Wherever possible, discreet lighting equipment is specified and installed to produce suitable levels of illumination and to highlight both ecclesiastical details and any special architectural features.
ST ANDREW’S CHURCH in Heckington, Lincolnshire, is a quite magnificent parish church. Built in the 1300s in the decorated style of the period, it is adorned inside and out with ‘many statues, gargoyles, beasts, royal faces, angels and animals leaping from the world and imagination of the 14th-century stone carvers’.
All the team at Lighting Dynamics UK are fully aware of the need to be energy conscious. In this modern age it would appear that the never-ending and increasing number of new energy regulations is only surpassed by the cost of energy itself.
Sandra Sardeson describes St Andrew’s as ‘The Queen of English parish churches’.
Significantly, storeys three to eight have no windows: they are given over to the airlocked rooms housing the collections. The top floor of the tower houses a viewing platform which it is planned to open to the public periodically.
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The new library has no basement because of the risk of flooding from the nearby Thames. It has been built with sustainability a primary concern and has achieved a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating.
According to Lambeth Palace’s description of the new building: “Care for our internationally important collections is at the heart of the design. The new building replaces inadequate facilities in a warehouse in Bermondsey and cramped accommodation in thirteen separate rooms within Lambeth Palace, many of which lacked fire suppression and were difficult to control environmentally. By contrast, all stores in the new library are temperature and humidity controlled and have fire suppression systems.”
Declan Kelly, director of libraries and archives at Lambeth Palace Library, commented: “Given that the primary focus was protecting the collections…the brief insisted on largely passive environmental control from a team designing with whole-life performance in mind. This has been achieved through the dense structure, which minimises fire risk and energy inputs, with almost half our energy needs now supplied by rooftop solar panels.” q
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C of E archive finally has its own library building
The building – the first new building on the site of Lambeth Palace for 185 years – was designed by leading heritage architects Wright & Wright, whose previous achievements include library projects at Magdalen and St John’s Colleges in Oxford. The red brick building was completed in 2020, with the extensive collection of books, documents and artefacts – which includes such items as the Execution Warrant of Mary Queen of Scots and a pair of gloves reputedly worn by Charles I on the scaffold at the time of his execution.
LAST YEAR saw the opening of the new library building at Lambeth Palace, headquarters of the Church of England. The library itself was founded in 1610 and is one of the earliest public libraries in the UK – yet until last year it had no purpose-built building to house it.
The building is formed by two wings of five and four storeys and a central tower which rises to nine storeys. Towers are the signature of Lambeth Palace, so the new building sits within that tradition on the Grade One-listed site.
The unique and outstanding collection, the mission of which has been described as to ‘collect, preserve and make accessible the memory of the Church of England’ was previously split between the palace building and a remote site in Bermondsey. It now has its own meticulouslydesigned home, equipped with the facilities an important collection of historic documents and artefacts needs in these modern times.
CXD are product innovators and have developed many of the products which are now relied upon by conservators in the UK and Europe. They pride themselves on the quality of their products and are the proud holders of a Royal Warrant of Appointment to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
In addition to furniture, they are a leading manufacturer and supplier of conservation products to the ecclesiastical world, providing acid-free paper, boards, archival boxes and safe transparent polyester display products as well as equipment for conservators and librarians alike. Over the years they have built up an impressive list of ecclesiastical clients, from cathedrals to chapels – all of which hold treasures and records the team at CXD take pleasure in helping them to protect and preserve.
“They chose this colour because they have many large volumes bound with parchment. The shade of this boxboard had been made for the Duke Humphrey’s library at The Bodleian in Oxford. They wanted a board that would match the many parchment bindings in the old library. We asked the conservator Sabina Pugh to supply us with the parchment shade we had to match our boxboard to, and this is how it got the name Duke Parchment.
St Catherine’s Monastery is said to have been given protection by the prophet Mohamed as it had taken him in during his pre-prophet days as he travelled across the Sinai. The monastery has a large document called the Achtnames which is supposed to be a 16th-century copy of the original, signed with the prophet’s hand in gold, the original itself being said to be in Istanbul. The monks from St Catherine’s used to travel with small copies of the text tucked into their sleeves, written in both Arabic and Turkish, in case they were waylaid by angry Moslems as they travelled.
The first customer to order a machine was the National Library of Scotland. That was followed by the Bodleian Library, The British Library and the National Library of Wales.
We consequently supplied a large quantity of this colour board to the St Catherine’s Foundation, for use by Professor Nicholas Pickwoad and his team to make bookshoes for the early printed books in the new library at the St Catherine’s Monastery in the Sinai Desert. Making board of a suitable quality for the dry conditions at the monastery was quite a challenge.”CXDhasalso had the pleasure of working with Professor Pickwoad and the St Catherine’s Foundation to design and prototype earthquake-proof and fire-resistant stainless-steel boxes, which hold one volume per box. Each volume is enclosed within a cruciform style ‘phase box’ made from CXD Premier Grey-White colour boxboard. CXD equally developed the prototype racking which comprised a tray for each box. The stainless-steel boxes have beautifully engineered handles, and an engraved plate is attached to each box to identify its content. The trays and boxes were secured behind decorative, fretwork, brass doors. The rebuilding of the library and conservation of the books was funded by donors to the St Catherine’s Foundation. The library did have the oldest complete copy of the New Testament gospels in Greek – the Codex Sinaiticus, now mostly in the British Library – and still does have the earliest copy of the gospels in Syriac, amongst other early treasures. The library at St Catherine’s Monastery is the oldest library in Christendom with an unbroken history and possessed of the second largest collection of medieval Greek manuscripts after the Vatican.
Conservators are aided behind the scenes by cutting-edge paper producers
In 1992, CXD was the first company outside the USA to supply individually custom-made acid-free boxes, using the Kasemake CXD computer-aided design box-making machine (below), to its library and conservation clients. That allowed the company to produce boxes tailor made to hold and protect a book or object. Combined with the CXD Premier Archival folding boxboard, the production of boxes for the preservation of rare books was revolutionised.
In 1992 CXD introduced vacuum packing for library material and in 1997 Stuart Welch invented the ‘squelch drying’ method for drying wet books.
CXD decided that it would not only make boxes on that machine, but also sell the machine along with its archival boxboard to the larger institutions that until then were making tailor-made boxes by hand: a lengthy and expensive process, and the boxes did not have the refinements offered by the Kasemake CXD system.
Stuart Welch commented: “We are committed to manufacturing products in the UK and have recently purchased a range of paper conversion machinery, in order to increase our productivity while offering new possibilities to our customers in the market for conservation products.
CXD founder and Group Product Director, Stuart Welch, takes up the story: “Soon after, we were surprised to receive an email enquiry for the Kasemake CXD from the Archivo Secreto Vaticano, The Vatican Secret Archive, who went on to buy a machine and large quantities of our Duke Parchment colour Premier Archival folding boxboard.
“Previously, we had made a sepia-coloured board, to match the leather bindings at The Bodleian. This board is also used by the National Trust for making ‘book shoes’, which are designed to support the text block and protect the covers while allowing the original book spine to be on show to the public.
[CXD INTERNATIONAL – Conservation By Design – have been designing and furnishing conservation studios since 1992. Working in partnership with conservation professionals, they help them to obtain well-designed, high-quality furniture and equipment which fits their precise requirements. No two studios are alike, but over the years and through close involvement with conservators, they have designed and built a range of products that can be adapted to fit most needs. The new conservation studios at Lambeth Palace (right), which were designed with senior conservator Lara Artemis ACR, are the latest example of CXD's contribution to the creation of an outstanding facility. Interestingly, CXD also helped furnish the first conservation studio at Lambeth Palace, set up by Bill Topping, so it gave them great pleasure to contribute to Lara’s new state of the art studio!
In 1985 Stuart Welch had set up a company in Paris to service the French market with acid-free paper, boards and boxes which he developed in the UK and had earned a high reputation during a time when nothing of similar quality was made in Europe. He also introduced traditional highquality paper from Japan, as well as a range of materials, equipment and furniture, which CXD now supply through its wholly owned subsidiary CXD France. Post Brexit the company provides an outlet for British-made products in the European market.
Following support from the British Council and HRH the Prince of Wales, the method was used to great effect – and was thus consequently noted as the best method of drying and recovering rare books – in the aftermath of the Prague flood of 2002. It was used again in 2011 following the Institute of Egypt Library fire in Cairo – supported by the Thesaurus Islamicus Foundation.
“At CXD we are passionate to support conservators, librarians, archivists and family historians, at all levels, in preserving items of national, international and personal significance.” q
29www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk
EXTENSIVE REPAIR, restoration and replacement work on the Grade One-listed Laudian Library extension in the Canterbury Quadrangle of St John’s College, Oxford is being carried out by Szerelmey, working alongside Beard Construction and Wright and Wright Architects. It follows the successful delivery of a package of works to create a new library and study centre, with artwork walls and interior and exterior paving which was completed by Szerelmey in 2019. The Canterbury Quadrangle is one of the most famous, historic and beautiful of Oxford’s buildings. St John’s College was founded in 1555 with its original library containing a collection of around 150 mostly theological, philosophical and legal books. Over the intervening years the college and its libraries have slowly evolved to present a fascinating collection of different English architectural styles – a mini potted history from the 16th century to the present day. The Laudian Library, which forms the eastern range of the Canterbury Quadrangle, was built between 1631-36 by William Laud, then Archbishop of Canterbury who was beheaded in 1645. It is fronted by a striking loggia, with an elaborate centrepiece, possibly by the sculptor Nicholas Stone (1586-1647). The west side of the Quadrangle mirrors the east and has a similar loggia and centrepiece. On both elevations the frontispiece rises to three storeys, with decorative niches and figurines of Charles I. Both elevations/ colonnades feature highly-decorative stonework with Historic England citing Richard Maude, Hugh Davis and Robert Smith as the masons and John Jackson, Anthony Gore and Harry Acres as the carvers. They are supported on a series of arches and free-standing columns. They are baroque in style and are a classic and rare example of the style still remaining in the UK, making them of particular historic importance. Each of the colonnades consists of eight freestanding columns approximately 2.7m apart and six half columns. The colonnades are constructed from load-bearing Headington stone, with the original columns in Bletchingdon marble. They measure 2,100mm tall x 349mm diameter in the centre, reducing to 308mm diameter at the top taking account of the entasis. The cloisters behind are laid out with a mixture of Purbeck and sandstone. Over the years the structure has been subject to many restorations and underpinning works, including five full column replacements in 1905, when Portland stone was used.
Recently it was identified that the columns were beginning to fail structurally and that a cosmetic repair would be insufficient. Following extensive surveys and ground condition test excavations, immediate works involved installing steel collars to five seriously cracked or split colonnade columns and the installation of substantial temporary steel props to support the arches. Szerelmey were engaged to design the temporary works to allow the removal and replacement of the colonnade columns and half columns, and further temporary works to support the frontispieces to allow the removal and replacement of the ground-to-firstfloor fluted columns.
Conservation of historic library columns carried out by leading specialists
Frontis temporary works propping with ongoing fluted column replacements (left); and frontis projection temporary works propping arrangement
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The local Bletchingdon marble, which the original columns had been crafted from, was no longer available, the quarry having closed many years previously. That meant a lengthy process of material sampling had to be undertaken to find a suitable alternative, which also had to be approved by the Oxford City Planning Department and Historic England. Eventually the carboniferous limestone, Swaledale fossil, was identified as the preferred replacement. The chosen stone was subjected to an extensive laboratory testing schedule and the results were used to prove the suitability of the stone by Szerelmey’s in house design department, in line with relevant design codes. A similar sampling process was carried out to select the correct material for the cloister paving – with Purbeck Wetson Bed and Crosland Hill chosen – and for the general repairs and repairs to the frontispieces, for Overview of one façade with propping in place
32 www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk which Clipsham Medwell was selected. As can often happen when working with historic and fragile structures, when the existing frontis fluted columns were removed, it was found that the pilasters directly behind them had also deteriorated beyond restoration and had to be replaced. On-site templates and moulds were taken and the pilasters were replaced using Clipsham stone from the Medwell quarry. All the columns – full round, half round and fluted frontis – and the pilasters were surveyed dimensionally and templates taken where required. The information was drafted up in house and issued for approval to the design team to include the introduction of lead DPCs at the junction of the column shafts and column bases to protect against groundwater penetration, and therefore improving the longevity of the replacement stones while maintaining the historical precedence. Once approved the drawings were issued to the different quarries for manufacturing the newThepieces.fluted frontis columns and pilasters were manufactured by Stamford Stone and delivered to site as loose pieces at one third heights each. Once the temporary works were installed and signed off, replacement could take place by fully dismantling a column and its adjacent pilaster and then re-building them with new stone before moving on to the next column and pilaster. The chosen stone for the colonnade columns and half columns, Swaledale Fossil, is sourced from a quarry which has restrictions on the size of the blocks. Because of that the decision was made to split the column into three pieces, mirroring the existing condition, in order to achieve the column heights. That was done by using the base (naturally bed), shaft (turned vertically off bed) and capital (naturally bed) to achieve the required height. The full and round columns were manufactured and pre-assembled by Dunhouse Quarry Ltd and delivered to site as single units in specially designed timber pallets. Pre-assembly consisted of internally pinning the base, entasis shaft and capital together to form a complete column. Once the temporary works were installed and signed off, replacement could take place in a ‘hit-and-miss’ manner – ie remove and replace columns 1, 3, 5 and 7 before removing and replacing columns 2, 4, 6 and 8. The columns were installed using a bespoke lifting cradle, designed by RDG Engineering, to tilt and position them in place. Joints between the new concrete bases and between the capital and existing springer stones were then grouted and cured, ensuring a full bed for load transferring before the temporary works can be released and subsequently removed. Throughout the duration of the column replacement works periodic movement monitoring has been undertaken to ensure both the temporary works and subsequently the replacement columns are correctly supporting the structure with no excessive movement. During the removal of the temporary works and transfer of loads to the newly installed columns, monitoring is continuously undertaken in conjunction with phased temporary works removal, to ensure a sympathetic and controlled transfer of loads from the temporary works to the new structure. During the consultation period and works, consideration has always been given to minimising the interventions required, in order to maintain the historical precedence of the building wherever possible.
Internally, new Purbeck Wetson Bed flooring is to be installed in a number of WC and storage areas. They have been duly surveyed and scheduled and will be installed by Szerelmey masons. Externally, a number of entrance steps are to be replaced utilising Crosland Hill stone. Again, in each instance Szerelmey have surveyed and scheduled and will install them, ensuring continued access to the buildings during the phased installation. Operations director Tamsin Pickeral commented: “Szerelmey Restoration and Stonework has been in business for a long while and has carried out restoration and conservation works on a great many listed buildings. It is an absolute privilege to work on the buildings we do and to work with clients and architects who are as passionate about restoration as we are!” q • For further information visit www.szerelmey.com
East cloister view with access scaffolding in place to facilitate high level frontis survey and repair works
(l-r) Historic eroded fluted pilaster panel removed to enable new fluted pilaster installation; new full and half columns installed with temporary propping removed to enable paving works to commence; newly installed fluted pilaster panel, half and fluted columns
As its former name suggests, that area of London is a hub for local media and IT businesses operating out of the West End and the brief for the building was to create a flexible workspace where people can feel stimulated by their environment, leading to greater productivity. Wellness was also a central focus and the building includes an oxygen room, a parents’ room and a roof terrace, which are all integral to enabling and inspiring everyone who enters.
Clement steel windows were also chosen for the refurbishment of 6 Middle Street (above right) – a double-fronted office building in a busy part of the City of London near Smithfield Market. Surrounded by narrow cobbled streets, it is situated on the boundary of the Smithfield Conservation Area.
Back to the office...
Photography of Middle Street taken by CGS Photographers Ltd ...with Clement Windows
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Good ventilation and an abundance of natural light have become buzzwords in the post-COVID era and the 300-plus new steel windows from the Clement EB24 range, which were chosen by office fit-out and refurbishment contractors Parkeray, mean that anyone returning to work at Douglas House will benefit from both. Polyester powder-coated in pure white and furnished with Warren handles in a satin chrome finish, the windows lend a contemporary look to the building on the outside, as well as supporting the 21st-century ways of working inside.
Blenheim House Construction selected windows from the Clement EB24 range because they best suited the original look of the building and allowed for the maximum amount of light to flow through the property. Natural light was an important aim of this high-specification refurbishment, too: central to the building is a mezzanine, which creates a dramatic light-filed doubleheight space. As a finishing touch, the window handles are polyester powder-coated in matt RAL 9005 jet black to match the frames.
For further information call 01428 643393, email info@clementwg.co.uk or visit the website at clementwindows.co.uk q
MAKING THE RETURN to office-based working a more comfortable experience, two recent stunning office refurbishment projects in Central London feature new steel windows manufactured and installed by Clement Windows.
A great example of 1930s Art Deco architecture, Douglas House (above left) sits on Great Titchfield Street in the West End. Formerly known as The Media Village, Douglas House was acquired by serviced office providers The Office Group (TOG) from landlords the Langham Estate in 2019. TOG, together with Note Design Studio, transformed the building with a colourful concept that blends with the distinctive 1930s features and gives a sense of fluidity, openness and light throughout.
In the right conditions pigeons can have up to seven broods in their breeding season – which runs from March to July – and will live for up to fourDeeyears.added: “Even feral pigeons are protected by the law, so it really is important to seek professional help. BPCA members are trained in bird control and will be able to offer a management plan that will alleviate the issue.
“A pest management professional may also recommend bird proofing to stop the problem recurring. There are a variety of birdproofing measures available, all of which will deter birds without causing them harm. “Bird prevention, proofing and control is a highly-specialised area requiring specific equipment and techniques. Pest management professionals are required to try all reasonably practicable non-lethal bird control methods before they consider lethal“Alwayscontrol.consult a professional before considering any form of bird control. You could be prosecuted if you illegally interfere with a bird, its nest or eggs without a wildlife licence.”
BPCA members are trained, experienced professionals with access to a range of specialist products not available to the public. They are trained, qualified and regularly assessed to the British Standard in Pest Management, BS EN 16636. q For further information visit bpca.org.uk
Only certain species of birds in specific situations are considered pests and even those that are typically considered to be pests – such as feral pigeons - are protected by law.
A wildlife licence issued by Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, NatureScot or the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland allows certain bird species to be controlled by particular methods for specific reasons.
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If birds are a problem, get professional help – or risk prosecution
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General licences and individual licences may also be granted to allow bird control measures to be taken which would otherwise be illegal under the legislation, but the law only allows competent people such as pest management professionals to deal with certain species.
Dee Ward-Thompson is head of technical at BPCA. She said: “We love British birds. All wild birds and their eggs are rightfully protected by law in the UK, so it is absolutely vital that caretakers and volunteers don’t interfere with them. But a few bird species can cause real problems when they take roost in or around homes and businesses – and if one or two find a sheltered site with a ready food source, they can rapidly become a thriving“Diseasescolony.can be transmitted to people from birds and their droppings, while nesting materials can block chimneys and flues, which can lead to potential issues with carbon monoxide. Nests can also clog up guttering, causing damage to buildings, while bird droppings can corrode metals, stonework and brickwork.
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“And where birds go, so do the parasites that live on them, including mites, ticks, fleas and beetles, which can all cause secondary infestations.”
Pigeons reportedly carry around 110 pathogens and up to 49% of feral pigeons could be infected with chlamydia psittaci, or ‘ornithosis,’ with symptoms including chills, fever, sweating, severe weakness, headache, blurred vision, pneumonia and possibly death. Pigeon droppings, when dry, may become small airborne particles that can lead to respiratory complaints, known as bird fancier’s lung.
The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 states that all wild birds and their eggs are protected, but people with appropriate licences – such as BPCA members – can take steps if the birds are causing a public health and safety concern.
BIRDS CAN CAUSE a range of issues during nesting season, but interfering with wild birds, their eggs or nests could lead to prosecution, a national trade body has warned. The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) is urging Parochial Church Councils to seek professional advice if birds are becoming a problem.
Bird netting supplied and installed by Independent Pest Control & Hygiene Services Ltd
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“Our success is testament to the passionate and dedicated team here at Ampetronic, and to our many partners who work so hard to represent us around the world.” q
All of this does rely on the loop system and microphones being correctly installed! Advice is available from Blaydon Communications Ltd, or organisations such as the ISCVE have a list of registered professionals in the sector. q
Being hard of hearing is recognised as a disability – and rightly so; but in certain circumstances people who are hard of hearing can actually be enabled, as a recent visit by Paul Dougherty of Blaydon Communications Ltd to assess an intelligibility issue with a church sound system brought to light.
Leading loop manufacturer recognised for export efforts [ HEARING ACCESSIBILITY SYSTEMS specialist Ampetronic has received a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in this year’s round of awards, in recognition of the company’s sustained growth in international trade. Employing 50 people, Ampetronic is based in Newark, Nottinghamshire, and has been trading since 1987. Its mission is to bring intelligible sound back into the lives of people with hearing loss by improving the quality of installed hearing access equipment. The company produces a wide range of electronic products for hearing accessibility – primarily audio induction loop systems that can deliver sound direct to hearing aid users. Many churches have seen the experience of their hard-of-hearing parishioners improved by the installation of Ampetronic equipment, which is specified by many designers. This latest award is in recognition of the company bringing its expertise to an international market.
“I am delighted Ampetronic has been recognised again with this important award,” said the company’s MD Julian Pieters. “Particularly with the challenges of the last couple of years, we are proud to have sustained long-term strong growth in our export markets. It is particularly rewarding to be recognised for bringing much needed accessibility solutions to more and more people every year.
37www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk
When is a hearing disability really an ‘enablement’?
DURING A SITE VISIT and system test, it was very clear that the sound system was poor and was doing nothing to help broadcast the spoken word to the congregation. Fingers began to point at poor microphone placement, or maybe defective microphones: both of which are valid reasons for that type of issue. However, among the group of people in attendance there was a regular churchgoer – and she also happened to be hard of hearing and used a hearing aid with the T position. She claimed the sound and quality on the loop system was superb and she never experienced any issues. Testing of the loop system was undertaken and the loop system sounded great. That allowed the discussion to move away from the microphones being the problem, as the same microphones were used for both the loop and sound system. The real issue with the church sound system was poor loudspeaker choice and placement. So how does that make a hard of hearing person enabled and not disabled? Well, think about it: congregation members without hearing difficulties attend the church and are subjected to a poor sound system that has a negative impact on intelligibility. The system echoes so much that the spoken word cannot be understood. That is down to sound waves bouncing around the church and being heard by members of the congregation. With a loop system that acoustic effect is minimised, as the audio into the microphone is passed directly to the person’s ear. It's as if the main celebrant has sat next to you and is speaking directly into your ear. In addition, the hard-of-hearing person will only hear an amplified version of the celebrant’s voice, so interruptions like kids crying will have a lesser impact and result in clearer speech for the ‘disabled’ person.
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Other winners last year included Wat Buddharam in Leeds, a Buddhist temple housed in a Victorian mansion – which won the Best Use of Slate for a Commercial Project for Karl Austerfield Roofing – and the Old Mill House in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, by ELC Roofing Group with CUPA PIZARRAS, which won in the Best Use of Slate for a Domestic Project category.
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“We’re delighted about his achievements and extend our huge congratulations to him on the completion of his apprenticeship, as well as the awards he’s won along the way, which are all very well deserved. Mo’s future in the roofing industry is bright.”
A new round-towered church in the Neo-gothic style was built, designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott. The church has a conical cap. The original clay tiles on the tower were replaced by cedar shingles, which are now failing. The plan is to replace them with clay tiles. While the scaffolding is up it is intended to repair the tower’s stone and flintwork and carry out some gutter repairs. The total cost of the repair work is £84,959.
[ ENTRIES CLOSED on 22 July for the 2022 Pitched Roofing Awards. Organised by Roofing, Cladding and Insulation magazine, the awards will this year be presented at a ceremony at Manchester’s prestigious Midland Hotel on 25 November.
The awards feature a specific category for Best Use of a Heritage Roof. In the guidance for entrants, the organisers observe: “The judges will be looking for a heritage roof project which has been completed to a very high standard. “Each judge will also look to see how well the new product/re-claimed tiles have integrated into the existing roof system, or how well a new product/re-claimed tile has helped compliment the whole building. The project should have been built on time, within budget and have either met or exceeded the client's expectations.” In common with other roofing awards, however, there is ample scope for roofs on ecclesiastical and heritage buildings to be recognised in other categories. Last year’s winner in the Heritage Roof category, Athlone House in Highgate, London (pictured), by Attleys Roofing using Dreadnought tiles, also picked up the award for Best Use of Concrete and Clay Tiles for a Domestic Project.
Mo’s end point assessor said: “For Muhammad’s end point assessment he was observed to work safely – including wearing the right safety clothing and equipment –and has shown exceptional tool skills and knowledge for someone within his trade. His manner is respectful and his thirst for knowledge demonstrated: he’s a keen learner and always looking for more knowledge and ways to self-improve. Muhammad shows great problem-solving skills, offering solutions to problematic areas.
[ WALSALL ROOFER Muhammad Farhan, a sheeting and cladding apprentice with SPV Special Projects, has become the first in England to pass an End Point Assessment under the new Roofer Level 2 apprenticeship standard.Mohas had a promising start to his career.
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“The Trust is delighted to be able to support the youngest of the Suffolk round towers churches with the repair and retiling of its tower,” said John Devaux, chairman of the grants committee. Grants also went to St Peter’s in Nowton, Our Lady Roman Catholic Church, Stowmarket, St Mary’s in Brent Eleigh and St Peter’s Church in Cransford. q
First roofer passes out from new Level 2 apprenticeship
Ruth Scarrott, head of careers at NFRC, added: “I want to congratulate Mo on all of his hard work and dedication so far – he is the embodiment of new talent choosing the roofing sector. I hope that he continues his journey to develop the skills and technical competence that the roofing sector so desperately needs. SPV are lucky to have you. Onwards and upwards!” q
Pitched Roofing Awards close for entries
Kate Whatley of SPV Special Projects added her congratulations: “We are so proud of Mo becoming the first accredited roofer in the country under the new Roofer Level 2 apprenticeship standard,” she said. “He was a standout student from the first construction pathway course we offered and the first apprentice we took on from the training centre we operate in partnership with Juniper. His dedication and commitment to developing and improving his skills is second to none and he is a fantastic role model and has a fantastic career in front of him in the roofing industry.”
[IN MAY the Grants Committee of the Suffolk Historic Churches Trust announced grants totalling £20,750 for renovation and improvement schemes to churches in Suffolk. The largest grant awarded, £10,000, went to St Stephen’s Church in Higham (right), between Bury St Edmunds and Newmarket. The village of Higham was part of the parish of Gazeley until 1861, when it became a separate benefice.
Suffolk churches awarded repair grants
He won the Young Roofer of the Year award at the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) UK Roofing Awards 2020, as well as Apprentice of the Year in Construction and Property in the Greater Birmingham apprenticeship awards, among other awards andBeforecommendations.beginninghis apprenticeship in roof sheeting and cladding, Mo completed a sixmonth Introduction to Construction course and gained his CSCS card, followed by a work experience placement with SPV Group. He began his apprenticeship in March 2020, meaning he faced challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It included spending less time learning on site and fewer face-toface encounters with his tutors. However, he worked hard to overcome those barriers and has consistently excelled, building valuable skills and knowledge of the trade.
3JB
“Following this, you'll need to determine what impact the missing lead or copper may have on your property. This is as missing lead, particularly if located at an abutment to a wall, could quickly result in water ingress. If left unfixed, this can cause damage that could easily cost thousands of pounds to put right and may also lead to structural issues over time.” q
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THE CHAIRMAN of the Lead Contractors Association, Allan Anderson, was one of the members of the liveried crafts who took part in the Becket Pageant for London in June, in his capacity as a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Plumbers. The Plumbers joined 20 other livery companies in the 16th Century Livery Fair, recreating the original fair of 1519, to help celebrate the Patron Saint of London and martyred Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket.Thepageant was originally scheduled for 2020, but was postponed due to COVID restrictions. It was designed as a triple celebration: 900 years since Becket’s birth, 850 years since his martyrdom and 800 years since the translation of his shrine. The fair was accompanied by performances of a play about Becket, London’s Turbulent Son Allan was supported by volunteers from the Plumbers’ Museum Workshop Trust in manning the Plumbers’ stand.
Vintage Leadwork and Roofing T: 07730 233116 / 07983 982170 E: info@vintageleadworkandroofing.com W: vintageleadworkandroofing.com 25 Pelsall Lane, Rushall, Walsall WS4 1NA Sussex Leadcraft Ltd T: 01273 584754 M: 07837 773584 E: sussexleadcraftltd@gmail.com Unit 26, The Ridings, Telscombe Cliffs, East Sussex BN10 7EF
• Historic • Ornamental • Heritage • Conservation • Restoration Martin-Brooks (Roofing Specialists) Ltd T: 0114 244 7720 E: RossW:mb@allroofing.co.ukwww.martin-brooks.co.ukStreet,Darnall,Sheffield,South Yorkshire S9 4PU Broadstairs Roofing T: 01843 600 106 M: 07932 633 628 E: 1W:broadstairsroofing@live.co.ukwww.broadstairsroofing.co.ukVictoriaAvenue,Broadstairs,KentCT10
Leadworkers’ chairman joins Plumbers at Becket Pageant
With their usual skill the team laid on a great demonstration of the ancient craft of lead casting, producing some small plaques and ‘pilgrim tokens’ for sale to contribute to the Lord Mayor’s Appeal.
The pageant ran over two days in the Guildhall Yard.
In a report on the event, the LCA thanked Allan Anderson and the museum trust volunteers for giving so much of their time and effort to maintain and demonstrate the ancient craft, a skill that is hugely important to the maintenance of our ancient buildings moving forward into the 21st century and beyond. q
40 www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk
Metal theft ‘hit list’ published
[THEFTS OF COPPER AND LEAD are on the rise in the UK, according to research published by renovation and building specialists Roofing Megastore. With the price of copper and lead remaining high there is a huge opportunity for thieves to make a significant profit from the in-demand materials stolen from homes or public buildings. Two of the most common and sought-after in 2022 include copper and lead. Roofing Megastore made Freedom of Information requests to the UK’s 43 police forces to find out, with 28 forces from up and down the country providing insights into reported building thefts in their area sinceNorthern2017.cities and towns dominated the top 10, with nine being located in the north of the UK. Sheffield and Preston ranked in joint first position, each with a total of 482 reported copper and lead thefts since 2017. Houghton in Northumbria (439 thefts), Kingston-upon-Hull (347 thefts) and Burnley (331 thefts) followed to make up the top five. Canterbury ranked in 10th position: the only southern city to make the top 10 list, with 238 reported building materialBesidescrimes.Burnley, 12 towns and cities that fall under Lancashire Constabulary – including Nelson, Blackburn, Accrington and Blackpool – ranked in the top 50 list, while eight from the Kent Police area – including Ashford, Margate and Maidstone – were in the list. Cities and towns governed by the South Yorkshire Police only appeared four times in the top 50 list; however, the four towns that were included (Barnsley, Rotherham, Doncaster and Sheffield), each reported over 245 total crimes, placing them in the top 10.
The advice for anyone who has had metal stolen is: “The first step when you discover you’ve been robbed is always to report it to the police, either by phone or online. If you don’t feel comfortable speaking to the police directly, another option is to make an anonymous report to independent charities such as Crimestoppers, who will work with the relevant authorities to take action.
The first company to employ the services of JTC Roofing were Treasure and Son, to whom JTC owes a debt of gratitude for their trust. The first contract was at Poston House, Vowchurch, for a Mr and Mrs Bulmer –yes, the cider people – being a half dome on one end of the house.
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Writing at the time of the anniversary last year, Trevor said: “We have a very dedicated workforce who are very polite and accommodating – and nothing is too much trouble. However, without the architects, general designers and principal contractors no company would survive; so it is thanks not only to the staff of JTC but also those who have trusted in the company’s skills. To all who know JTC Roofing Contractors Ltd and have put their trust in the company, a great thanks: and here’s to the next 25 years!” Looking to the future, JTC have identified that metal roofing is a trend that is firmly set to continue in 2022 and beyond. The most common materials used in metal roofing, the firm says, are aluminium, copper, zinc, stainless steel and coated steel.
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“Metal roofs have skyrocketed in popularity, thanks to their wide range of impressive benefits. These include longevity, durability, weather resistance, availability in a range of colour options and a bold, modern visualWithimpact.”asolidhistory behind it, JTC Roofing Contractors Ltd look set for continued success well into the future. q
After celebrating a quarter of a century, roofing contractor looks to the future
LAST YEAR saw the 25th anniversary of specialist roofing contractors JTC Roofing Contractors Ltd. The company was incorporated on 16 August 1996 by Trevor R Corser – the current chairman of the company. With a background in building surveying and quantity surveying, and after 19 years of faithful service with a renowned company in the fields of historical roofing and ornamental leadwork, Trevor decided to go it alone: JTC was born. With quite literally very little in the bank, it was a case of moving quickly with the purchase of a vehicle and – in those days – stationery, a calculator and a Commodore Amiga floppy drive computer, plus the obligatory bubblejet printer.
Trevor has become well known in the metal roofing industry and chaired the Federation of Traditional Metal Roofing Contractors (FTMRC) for three years after its formation in the first decade of this century, before returning to the role this year. Over the years JTC have worked on many historic buildings, castles and cathedrals but are not happy to just remain static. The scope for using other metals than lead is vast: from replacement church roofs that have either come to the end of their natural life or been stolen, to house extensions, fabulous new builds and public buildings.
2. Brian practised preparing all the panels before taking them to the site. The side panels were put in position to mark out the base sheet, which was then cut out using a router. All the parts were numbered before being loaded onto a pallet to take to the site.
Leading leadworker tells the story of giant planter installation
4. It was challenging rotating the planter, to say the least! Brian explained: “I had to make the lifting jig a bit bigger as all the braces had deep-filled burns. Everything was at its limit – I had about 50mm spare head room to turn the planter.”
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3. Putting it all together with the help of a derrick. That was another ‘first’ for Brian as it was the first time he had assembled a cistern on site. The base was laid on a wooden deck and the pattern marked out; then fully burned in. The gaps in the lead were about 6mm, which made sure that the burn was full. Said Brian: “My main concern was to make sure there was full lead joint penetration, so I had to make sure to do all the burning in the horizontal, as the joints were on the vertical moulding line. The joints were 25mm deep, so I had to burn on the face of the moulding, then fettle it all when the joint was at the top of the vertical – three metres high.” The planter was then rolled 180º so the joint was at its lowest – 300mm high. Then, on the inside of the planter the joint was filled with solder and back-burned. That was repeated until all the joints were completed.
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1. Making the sand mould: on the panels the motifs were arranged so each numbered panel was different.
FURTHER DETAILS have come to light of the magnificent lead planter produced by Brian Turner of Turners Ornamental Leadwork for a private client in Norfolk, as featured in Ecclesiastical and Heritage World lastTheautumn.trellistree planter is three metres in diameter and 560mm high. Each of the individual cast panels is 1,710mm in length, giving a circumference of 9.426 metres. Each panel is decorated with motifs designed by the client, depicting items of significance to the family. The total weight of the planter is 1,584 kilos and even the circular part of the base that was cut out to allow roots to grow through weighed 307 kilos. It was, as Brian observed with typical understatement, ‘a challenge to make’ and pushed all his skills to the limit in order to keep moving forward. The pictures below tell the story of the planter’s installation.
5. All done! A very happy customer and a very satisfied Brian: all went as planned. Said Brian: “When I started off I was asked could I do it? I said ‘I don’t know’. Now I know there is a way!” T: 01623 860425 M: 07930 377159 E: info@turners-lead-collection.co.uk www.turners-lead-collection.co.uk
43www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk
Clay pavers add to new museum’s welcoming atmosphere
The architects have been faithful to the 19th-century colour palette of the industrial past of the surrounding area and have integrated the new and the old seamlessly. The use of traditional clay pavers externally has helped to do that: they fit the industrial context of the site perfectly and give the new steel façade its place and presence within the busy streetscape.
q Photos courtesy of Philip Vile
The architects felt it was important to create an entrance to the building that would cater for larger numbers and welcome the whole area, not just the Jewish community. To create that effect, clay pavers from Ketley Brick were chosen. Ketley’s Staffordshire clay pavers are traditional and authentic: their natural warm clay colours are the product of careful control of the kiln atmosphere. They were often used in Victorian times in industrial and urban developments and have been shown to stand the test of time. In all, 180m2 of 215mm x 103mm Staffordshire blue pavers were used, together with 19m2 of blue tactile corduroy pavers around the steps and a further 10m2 of red 215mm x 103mm pavers.
The aim of the £6m redevelopment, which was supported by the National Lottery Fund, was to create a building that would be more than just a museum – a building that would somehow unite the local community. The local population rated food highly as a unifying force within communities and the new museum not only shares the area’s rich history with the community but also serves as a public ‘living room’ and event space for all to enjoy, where community meals and functions can be held. A very sensitive restoration of the Grade Two-listed synagogue has been carried out, with a strong emphasis on sustainability. A new extension to the building has an industrial corten steel façade with delicate Moorish detailing, referencing the Sephardi Jews from Spain, Portugal and North Africa who built the original synagogue in 1874. Since its reopening on 2 July last year the museum building has won a Civic Trust Award for 2021 and two categories at the Construction Industry Awards: Cultural & Leisure Project of the Year and Best Small Project of the Year.
[THE MANCHESTER JEWISH MUSEUM on Cheetham Hill Road – one of the city’s most established multicultural areas – has been the subject of a collaborative design process with the local community, led by Katy Marks of architects Citizens Design Bureau.
Feasibility studies began in spring and will see the production of the world’s most sustainable clay bricks, and the first to be produced with 100% hydrogen. To celebrate Michelmersh’s achievement, and to encourage its customers to stand in unity with it on the journey to positive change, the group will be presenting a select quantity of the HyBrick products to its most engaged customers and stakeholders.
Working alongside a panel of expert partners, and after an introduction by Hydrogen Sussex, the consortium includes Limpsfield Combustion, Net Zero Associates, the University of Brighton, Greater South East Net Zero Hub, FT Pipelines, Geopura, and Safety Monitors.
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LEADING BRICK MANUFACTURER
As the organisation leading the BEIS Deep Decarbonisation of Brick Manufacturing project, Michelmersh has gone a step further to promote and disseminate the progression and learning of the project through a dedicated brand, HyBrick.
“While we look forward to the challenges ahead of us, we are optimistic about the change we can inspire within the manufacturing sector. With decades of experience producing high-quality products and with the aid of our industry-leading partners, the group is well suited to lead the UK with this flagship global first.
• To register an interest in receiving a sample product from the innovative HyBrick study, visit www.mbhplc.co.uk/hybrick
The Michelmersh project represents a global flagship physical study to replace natural gas with hydrogen in brick manufacturing. Phase One of the project will demonstrate the viability of fuel switching and will see hydrogen used in the clay brick production process at Michelmersh’s Freshfield Lane site. The project aims to inspire radical change across the sector and present opportunities and evidencebased research to support manufacturers on their journey to heavily decarbonise the production processes.
With Michelmersh focused on leading the sector by testing and exploring efficient new technologies and production methods – including but not limited to fuel switching – it will endeavour to showcase how natural, locally-made construction products can provide significant reductions in the whole-life carbon of durable materials available to specifiers.
While we have seen energy costs rise due to environmental and political factors, this incredible application of technology and innovation allows the group to reduce its costs considerably, improve its resilience and welcome new products that take sustainability to a whole new level.
Frank Hanna, joint CEO of Michelmersh, explained: “The group is proud to stand at the forefront of such evolution for our industry.
Sarah Le Gresley, Michelmersh’s innovation director, sustainability group chair and the application lead, is excited to begin the world’s first trials. Sarah is incredibly passionate about demonstrating that, as well as clay brick having zero operational carbon, the study presents the opportunity to significantly reduce clay brick's embodied carbon by over 60%. Sarah recently coined the expression ‘Shaping Genuine Sustainability’ for the group to highlight its focus on investing in genuine carbon reduction projects over funding carbon offsets.
Michelmersh has announced a successful bid to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to conduct a feasibility study to replace natural gas with hydrogen in the brick making process, as part of the government’s Industrial Fuel Switching competition. The programme is part of the £1bn Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP), which aims to provide funding for low-carbon technologies to decrease the costs of decarbonisation.
Associated work looking at hydrogen production solutions aims to provide Michelmersh with resilient, clean on-site hydrogen, which could help the company pave the way to a more sustainable future for the broader ceramics industry.
Green electrolytic hydrogen will be used for the innovative study, helping to demonstrate how the technology can transform the brick manufacturing industry. All the consortium partners are thrilled to facilitate and promote the production of the world’s first 100% hydrogen-fired clay bricks, enabling a movement towards hydrogen and providing a pathway to the net-zero future that the country is aspiring towards.
45www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk
The first HyBrick study will explore the testing of specific infrastructure components to prove hydrogen firing capability and determine any impact on overall quality, brick integrity or aesthetics. Data will be collected and analysed to ascertain any effect on process temperatures or stability. The bricks will then be compared against control bricks (produced using 100% natural gas) to ensure they meet all technical, aesthetic and characteristic requirements, with independent laboratory testing to determine their durability and structural performance.
“Our sustainability group sees this project as just one string to its bow, while also undertaking a variety of research and feasibility projects to determine the most carbon-efficient and commercially sensible solutions to complete its ambitious sustainability roadmap.” q
Brick maker takes a leap towards a hydrogen-fuelled future
Of paramount importance and conducted throughout the project are dedicated health and safety risk analyses, assessments and training, alongside air quality performance testing.
Sarah is working with group production director Michael Brophy, who is also eager to demonstrate Michelmersh's progressive approach to sustainability. Michael is enthusiastic in pushing the boundaries and exploring the engineering, production capabilities and requirements that will take sustainable UK manufacturing to the next level.
“The group has set ambitious 2030 sustainability KPIs which include 100% of our electricity provided by green suppliers and renewable sources from October 2022, with other on-site renewable energy sources already on the ground at Michelmersh sites. The team understands the impact this project could have if successful; however, it also recognises there is a long journey ahead before hydrogen is fully tested throughout the multiple different production processes or is financially viable to expand to all our sites.
46 www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk46 www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk The following companies are all specialists in Lightning Protection Systems: How a British inventor took Franklin’s ideas to sea Direct Strike Ltd Lightning Protection and Earthing Solutions Head Office: 01461 337951 Rep of Ireland: +353 45 913 129 E: enquiries@directstrike.co.uk W: www.directstrike.co.uk 18 Canberra Road, Gretna, Dumfriesshire, Scotland DG16 5DP • Lightning Protection • Inspection & Maintenance • BSEN 62305:2011 • Consultancy & Design Services • Supply & Installation • Earthing Systems • Height Safety & Fall Arrest Systems • Surge Protection T: 01782 834567 E: enquiries@rafferty1949.com W: Nashwww.rafferty-steeplejacks.comPeakeWorks,Tunstall,Stoke-on-Trent ST6 5BT • Surveys • Risk Assessments • Design and Installation to BSEN 62305 • Specialist Earthing • Annual Testing, Inspection & Maintenance • Surge Protection Rafferty Lightning Protection 70 years experience in the steeplejack and lightning protection industries T: 01158 752686 M: 07581 266493 E: info@lightningstrikeltd.co.uk W: www.lightningstrikeltd.co.uk 452 Watnall Road, Hucknall NG15 6FQ Lightning Strike Ltd Lightning Protection and Earthing Specialist for Churches and Historic Properties • Lightning Conductor Testing • Earthing System Testing • Soil Resistivity Testing • Earthing Systems • Surge Protection • Safe Strike ESE Systems T: 0115 965 7400 E: sales@horizonsc.co.uk W: www.horizonsc.co.uk Unit 7, Burma Road, Blidworth, Nottinghamshire NG21 0RT Horizon Specialist Contracting Ltd With over 29 years experience our in-house design team are trained and certified to the current British & European Standards BS EN 62305:2011 for Lightning Protection Systems and BS 7430:2011 for Earthing. • Lightning Protection Systems and Surge Protection Design • Testing and Inspection surveys • Steeplejack maintenance • Fall arrest safety systems T: 07498 339466 E: enquiries@ctglp.co.uk W: www.ctglp.co.uk 18 Cranford Avenue, Macclesfield SK11 7DJ Our designers are equipped with the accredited knowledge and over 15 years experience to provide: • Design • Installation • Bespoke risk assessment BS EN62305 Accredited Cloud to Ground Ltd Lightning Protection and Earthing Specialists • Survey • Test and maintenance • Surge protection Testing & Installation E: contact@harrisonlp.co.uk 2 Lakeland Estate, Faverdale North, Darlington, County Durham DL3 0PX T: 01325 464464 W: www.harrisonlp.co.uk
MOST PEOPLE ARE AWARE of the experiments of Benjamin Franklin with lightning – and the famous story of him flying a kite in a thunderstorm. The Franklin rod is still one of the most common forms of lightning protection used in churches to this day. Fewer people have heard of a later pioneer whose invention saved many ships from lightning strikes: Sir William Snow Harris. Nicknamed ‘Thunder-and-Lightning Harris’, he was born on 1 April 1791 in Plymouth, which was then, as now, an important naval base. For many years lightning had been a serious danger to the tall ships that plied the oceans and established the British Empire. Their height and the fact they were the only structure for miles around made them common objects of storms at sea – St Elmo’s fire, the light that forms around tall structures such as masts prior to a storm, is named after the patron saint of sailors – and the commonest way of protecting them was to drape chains from the masts into the sea to deflect the strike. That method was far from satisfactory and Harris, on his return from university in Edinburgh, where he studied medicine, devised an improved lightning conductor for ships. It involved attaching lightning conductor plates along spars and down the aft side of the mast into theDespitehull. initial reluctance the Admiralty agreed to trials. One of the first ships to use the system was The Beagle , during its famous voyage with Charles Darwin aboard. Darwin told his sister he had ‘breakfasted yesterday with a Mr Harris whom I like more than anybody I have seen. He has written a great deal on Electricity’. The test was a great success. Despite being exposed to lightning several times on its five-year voyage – and reportedly struck at least twice –The Beagle was unharmed. Captain Robert FitzRoy said of the plates: “No objection whichThe Beagle by John Chancellor
47www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk 47www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk • BS EN 62305 2012 • System Installation • Upgrading • Remedial Work • Testing • Earthing • Materials Supply T: 0118 976 0239 / 07502 934466 E: sales@earthingequip.com W: earthingequip.com Lavender House, Church Lane, Arborfield, Nr Reading RG2 9JA • Free Lightning Protection Quotes • Free Lightning Protection Risk Assessment • Risk Assessment Calculations • Soil Resistivity Testing • Surge Arrester Quotes • Site Visits Earthing Equipment Supplies Southern Ltd is a well-established, ATLAS accredited, company offering a wide range of lightning protection services. ATLAS is the UK governing body for lightning protection. 30 years trading. LIGHTNING PROTECTION G & S Steeplejacks Ltd Over 30 years experience in the Design & Installation of Lightning Protection Systems. T: 01761 437796 M: 07974 184449 E: graham@gnssteeplejacks.co.uk W: www.gnssteeplejacks.co.uk Unit 3, Bath Business Park, Peasedown St John, Somerset BA2 8SF • Annual Testing • Inspection & Maintenance • Surge Protection • Height Safety Systems Churches, Schools, Hospitals, Universities, Colleges A C Wallbridge & Co Ltd T: 01722 322750 E: office@wallbridge.uk W: www.wallbridge.co.uk Unit 7, Centre One, Lysander Way, Old Sarum, Salisbury SP4 6BU • Lightning Conductor Engineers • Steeplejacks • Flagpole Specialists • High Level Access • High Rise Office Blocks • High Rise Residential Blocks • Towers • Sports Centres • Churches • Cathedrals • Schools • Hospitals Providing lightning protection and steeplejack services since 1978. Wiltshire Steeplejacks and Lightning Conductor Engineers T: 01225 761330 M: 07973 397770 E: info@wiltshiresteeplejacks.co.uk W: www.wiltshiresteeplejacks.co.uk 44 Eastbourne Road, Trowbridge, Wiltshire BA14 7HW We specialise in: • Lightning protection systems • BS EN 62305 & BS 6651 • Earthing and resistivity testing • High maintenance work • Flagpoles • All rope access work • Full architectural surveys & cover meter surveys Lightning Protection Services North(Head office): 01461 800323 South: 01582 511036 N.E: 01914 661145 E: info@lightningconductor.co.uk W: www.lightningconductor.co.uk South West Lightning Protection T: 07807 334441 E: south@lightningconductor.org W: Airportwww.lightningconductor.orgBusinessCentre,10Thornbury Road, Estover, Plymouth PL6 7PP T: 020 8371 0001 E: info@cuttings.co.uk W: cuttings.co.uk 10-12 Arcadia Avenue, Finchley Central, London N3 2JU Design, installation and maintenance Cuttings The UK’s ProtectionindependentlargestLightning&Earthingcontractor
Revd Mike Trotman told local press: “We had a service at 8am on Sunday morning and I got a call from a church warden as I was waking up saying we had a problem with our electrics – I don’t think he’d noticed the cross.”
The following day the church’s Facebook page read: “On Saturday night, 4th June, lightning struck this stone cross that sits on the east side of St Peter’s Church. How fitting that the cross took the hit. This is the gospel: the cross of Jesus Christ bears all the burdens, all the pain and all the sorrow of the world. What a Saviour we have!” q
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It was Revd Mike himself who noticed that one of the arms of the cross atop the church had been blown off by the blast. It became an item of faith that it was the cross that bore the brunt of the ‘bolt from the heavens’ and not any of the inhabitants.
• Lightning Protection Surge Earthing Services Height Safety Services Offices in London, Sussex, Essex and Bristol. appears to me valid, has yet been raised against them; and were I allowed to choose between having masts so fitted and the contrary, I should not have the slightest hesitation in deciding on those with Mr Harris's“Whetherconductors.theymight be farther improved, as to position and other details, is for their ingenious inventor to consider and determine. He has already devoted so many years of valuable time and attention to the very important subject of defending ships against the stroke of electricity; and has succeeded so well for the benefit of others – at great inconvenience and expense to himself – that it is earnestly to be hoped that the Government, on behalf of this great maritime country, will, at the least, indemnify him for time employed and private funds expended in a public service of so useful and necessary a character.” Harris died on 22 January 1867. q
Church cross ‘takes the hit’ of lightning strike
• A full account of Harris’s life and work, by ATLAS committee member Marc Pilkington, is available to view on the ATLAS website at www.atlas.org.uk
LIGHTNING DAMAGE to churches is, mercifully, rare these days – a testament both to the efficacy of modern lightning protection systems and the high-rise world we live in, in which churches are no longer the stand-out buildings they used to be. So when the cross at St Peter’s Church in Parkstone, Poole, Dorset, was damaged by a lightning strike on the night of 4 June, it was front page news in the local press and even made the nationals the following week. The strike also caused significant damage to the church and the electrics. Damage to electrical systems is the most common damage caused by lightning, according to insurers Ecclesiastical, and it was the first thing to be noticed by the church warden.
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THE National Heritage Ironwork Group is looking for a striking design for its new Heritage Metalwork Conservation Award. It has therefore launched a competition to design the medallion, which must be a ‘vibrant design which incorporates the NHIG logo and communicates excellence’. Entrants must design the tooling for the stamped medallion – 100-120mm in diameter – with the lettering ‘NHIG Heritage Metalwork Conservation Award’: the pictorial to include the NHIG logo and it should aim to communicate the idea of excellence in heritage metalwork conservation. The design must be presented in DXF file format and be sent to Jessica Renison at NHIG. There is a prize of £250 for the winning design, which must be submitted by 2 September. q
NHIG seeks design for new medallionaward
“Without the NHIG I wouldn’t have had this opportunity to gain an insight into the skills and knowledge involved in working on historic ironwork. I learnt so much and it was fantastic to be part of a group where everyone was so willing to share their information.” q
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“Everyone was friendly and we had some fantastic experts to lead the way,” Stan wrote, “such as specialist blacksmiths and paint analysts, all adding to the wide range of backgrounds such as architects, students and college lecturers who had come along. I found everyone’s knowledge, enthusiasm and dedication fantastic to be around and inspiring.”
48 www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk
JULY SAW THE FIRST working party of the National Heritage Ironwork Group (NHIG), at Nettleham Hall in Lincolnshire, where the Grade One-listed gates and railings – which date from the early 18th century – are on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register They are attributed to Francis or William Smith of Warwick and were constructed around 1720. The working party is the first in a series planned to follow the conservation of the gates over several years, a project led by Fred Suffield of locally-based Anwick Forge. One of the volunteers lucky enough to gain a place on the working party was Stan Lawler, who is currently studying at the National School of Blacksmithing at Hereford and Ludlow College. Stan posted a review of his weekend on the website of the NHIG.
Along with the practical elements, the importance of accurate documentations was brought home. Stan continued: “The weekend was an opportunity for me to understand how the relevant documentation associated with the gates and other historical ironwork is produced. This real-world scenario was a unique and valuable experience as we made our own condition reports, carried out a site excavation and took paint samples.
“These are specialist skills that are not part of my previous experiences or studies but they are transferable to use at other historic sites and in my college work. It also gave me an insight into the regulatory bodies and the high-quality craftsmanship required in the conservation and restoration industry.
Workshop gives student an insight into ironwork conservation
Following a funding allocation, the Historic Metalwork Conservation Company was contracted by the PCC to carry out the work last July. The weathervane was collected from the parish office and transferred to their workshop for treatment. It consisted of a large three-dimensional cockerel sitting on a large ball: both were made of copper and had been gilded. The gilded ball was generally in a fair condition, although much of the original gold leaf was missing – exposing the painted yellow base layer beneath.
The west tower and spire were added in the 15th century and, as the church is built on a hillock on the north side of the green, they form a notable landmark. In the early spring of last year the church undertook some repair work to the top of the spire that necessitated the removal of the weathervane. The parish decided to have the weathervane conserved while it was removed.
The cockerel was in a poorer condition. Areas of gilding and paint were missing, exposing the underlying copper. That had oxidised, most evidently on the front edge of the neck and leading edges of the tail feathers as a result of the weather. There were a number of old riveted repairs to the tail, some filled dents on the body of the cockerel and its beak had been squashed in. As the existing paint layers and gilding on the cockerel had mostly failed, they were all removed manually, cleaning back to the original metal surface. That revealed a number of corrosion holes in the copper metal, as well as old dents. After cleaning, the cockerel was initially painted with two coats of an etch primer. Areas of damage were filled using a two-part polyester filler – including dents in the body and the bird’s comb, formed of two pieces of copper riveted together – to prevent future water ingress. Earlier riveted and soldered repairs were left as they were sound and formed part of the cockerel’s history. The repaired cockerel was protected with a coat of a high-quality alkyd oil-based primer followed by two coats of a golden yellow alkyd gloss finish to form a base layer for the new gilding. The paint finish to the large ball was found to be well bonded to the copper surface. The surface was therefore lightly abraded with Scotchbrite pads to provide a key for new paint layers. The ball was brush-primed with two coats of an alkyd oil-based primer followed by two coats of a golden yellow alkyd gloss finish to form a base for re-gilding.Tofinish, the cockerel and ball were re-gilded. Each was pre-coated with a layer of six-hour oil gold size and left until tacky and almost dry. Double thickness 23.5 carat gold leaf was applied to the surface of each part, which were lightly brushed to finish using a pony hair brush. The conserved weathervane was returned to parish offices of St Nicholas’s church for restoring to the top of the spire by others. The repair and re-gilding of the cockerel weathervane should give it at least another 50 years before any further intervention is required. q
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49www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk
THE CHURCH OF ST NICHOLAS, Kings Norton, is located on the southern edge of Birmingham. The church building dates back in parts to the 13th century, with the spire being built between 1446 and 1475. It is listed Grade One by Historic England.
The original Norman building was demolished in the 14th century with a new nave, side aisles and chancel arch being built. Further changes were made in the 17th century, particularly to the roof structures. In 1846 the building became a parish church. Its most famous curate was the Rev W V Audry, author of the Railway Series of books featuring Thomas the Tank Engine.
Birmingham church is crowing again, thanks to cockerel restoration
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55www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk LIGHTNING PROTECTION Wiltshire Steeplejacks and Lightning Conductor Engineers T: 01225 761330 M: 07973 397770 E: info@wiltshiresteeplejacks.co.uk W: www.wiltshiresteeplejacks.co.uk 44 Eastbourne Road, Trowbridge, Wiltshire BA14 7HW We specialise in: • Lightning protection systems • BS EN 62305 & BS 6651 • Earthing and resistivity testing • High maintenance work • Flagpoles • All rope access work • Full architectural surveys & cover meter surveys T: 01158 752686 M: 07581 266493 E: info@lightningstrikeltd.co.uk W: www.lightningstrikeltd.co.uk 452 Watnall Road, Hucknall NG15 6FQ Lightning Strike Ltd Lightning Protection and Earthing Specialist for Churches and Historic Properties • Lightning Conductor Testing • Earthing System Testing • Soil Resistivity Testing • Earthing Systems • Surge Protection • Safe Strike ESE Systems LIME & LIME PLASTERERS Lightning Protection Services North(Head office): 01461 800323 South: 01582 511036 N.E: 01914 661145 E: info@lightningconductor.co.uk W: www.lightningconductor.co.uk A C Wallbridge & Co Ltd T: 01722 322750 E: office@wallbridge.uk W: www.wallbridge.co.uk Unit 7, Centre One, Lysander Way, Old Sarum, Salisbury SP4 6BU • Lightning Conductor Engineers • Steeplejacks • Flagpole Specialists • High Level Access • High Rise Office Blocks • High Rise Residential Blocks • Towers • Sports Centres • Churches • Cathedrals • Schools • Hospitals Providing lightning protection and steeplejack services since 1978. Direct Strike Ltd Lightning Protection and Earthing Solutions Head Office: 01461 337951 Rep of Ireland: +353 45 913 129 E: enquiries@directstrike.co.uk W: www.directstrike.co.uk 18 Canberra Road, Gretna, Dumfriesshire, Scotland DG16 5DP • Lightning Protection • Inspection & Maintenance • BSEN 62305:2011 • Consultancy & Design Services • Supply & Installation • Earthing Systems • Height Safety & Fall Arrest Systems • Surge Protection South West Lightning Protection T: 07807 334441 E: south@lightningconductor.org W: Airportwww.lightningconductor.orgBusinessCentre,10Thornbury Road, Estover, Plymouth PL6 7PP Testing & Installation E: contact@harrisonlp.co.uk 2 Lakeland Estate, Faverdale North, Darlington, County Durham DL3 0PX T: 01325 464464 W: www.harrisonlp.co.uk
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