Building work
From May to October 2017 the building was swathed in scaffolding as Ellis & Co of Shepton Mallet, led by Garth Davies on site, and supervised by Henk Strik of Benjamin + Beauchamp, Architects of Wedmore, undertook our £0.5m repair and improvement project.
The work was mostly to repair the leadwork, gutters, pipes and drains to make the building watertight once more and deal with the source of the green algae on the walls of the church!
On this page we show a pictorial record of the work done.
Centre aisle west end – inadequate existing flashing at gable
Centre aisle west end – after re-pointing, before re-bedding coping
Grimy Saints on capitals before cleaning
Works entrance
West wall old flue blocked-up
West end floor joists – rot below location of new pod
West end – Shrouded church
Vestry roof
Vestry roof view from tower
Valley – making lead sheet joining roll
Tower-chancel south side – new flashing to boiler flue 2
Tower-chancel south side – new flashing to boiler flue 1
Tower-chancel gutter dismantled
Tower-chancel gutter condition
Tower-chancel gutter – renovating with wider walkway
The finished job
SW corner – reinforcing floor joists under pod
Stokehole – removing plaster
Sponsor acknowledgements board
South valley view from tower
South valley refurbished
South side blocked downpipe as drain blocked underground
South gutter spigot into hopper
South gutter re-fitted, membrane before trimming
South gutter hopper refurbished and re-fixed
South gutter east end flashing with fitted coping stones
South gutter east end – flashing under coping stone
South gutter east end – flashing adhesive awaiting coping stones
South gutter – refurbished outlet and membrane
South aisle – laying new lead
Shaping new lead valley endstop
Scaffolding shroud
Repointing the Tower from harnesses
Repointing on tower
Refurbished cast iron and lead downpipe elements
Pulpit affected by blocked downpipe
Pod wall standoff battening
Pod drain, #2 waterpipe and comms tunnel
Pod drain to road (water+comms not yet present)
Pod Clad
Pod carcass
People Counting tool
North window Arch before and after experimental clean
North Wall Arch interior before repairs
North valley east end – inadequate flashing and compromised rw goods
North aisle west end gable – secured coping stones and replacement flashings And Architect!
North aisle west end coping – poor existing bedding
North aisle west end – replacement pin for cross
North aisle west end – repaired iron-split cross
North aisle west end – rectifying roof alignment (internal close boarding visible)
North aisle west end – iron-cracked pillar for cross
North aisle west end – flashing in progress
North aisle west end – coping re-bedded, awaiting final cheek of flashing
North aisle east end – consequences of bad old flashing
North aisle – stainless steel baffle for membrane under gutter
North aisle – rectifying alignment for new felting and membrane pre-gutter (internal close-boarding visible)
new rafter footings and wallplate substitute
New cupboards before polishing
Marking off for new mesh on stained glass windows
Making lead valley-end and drain channel through parapet
Heritage boards in church
Growth at failed gutter joint
Gable cross mount – replacing corroded pin
Foul drain route into woodland
Foul drain into woodland from wall
Foul drain in road (and route of backup fresh water supply)
Foul drain emerging from Church
Emma Cooling photographing pupils in playground
Downpipe cracked by freezing of backed-up material
Climb the Church – explaining the working of the new gutter system
Climb the Church #4 poster
Climb the Church – Explaining the roof
Circled cross before repair
Centre aisle west end gable – inadequate existing pointing
Centre aisle west end – inadequate existing flashing at gable
Centre aisle west end – after re-pointing, before re-bedding coping
Centre aisle under floor – air vent
Capital of Nave pillar after cleaning
Valley feet – wood repair above wallplate
Finishing painting at North gutter downpipe
Back of church, Pod and Displays