Restoration and Conservation

Key project dates

Cleaning and conserving the nave walls:

January - April 2025

Phase 1 mid January to end February/beginning of March 2025: cleaning & conservation of the north and west nave walls, including our magnificent archangels Micheal, Gabriel and Raphael. The window surrounds and string course with paterae will also be cleaned as will the nave side of the tower arch.

Phase 2 March -early April 2025: Scaffolding will move to the south wall of the nave for cleaning and conservation of the walls, string course, paterae, friezes and window surrounds.

January 2025

Scaffolding erected to the north and west nave walls, and Peter Martindale Conservation starts work.

Our photographer has been able to get up close to the wall paintings and other decorative features for the first time these have been accessed in perhaps over 100 years!

Here are a selection of the photo’s showing the scaffolding and what we discovered before conservation work started, including our magnificent archangels, our very own monster, painted friezes, stars, bosses and a selection of stained glass window panels, as well as some remarkable cobwebs and the impressive scaffolding installation itself.

Over previous years there had been significant water ingress both through the walls and previously down through the roof due presumably to a failure of the flashing. This resulted in bubbling and cracking of paint and also some streaking down the walls and across one of the Archangels.

Water had come through the walls as a result of blocked downpipes - partly because over many years squirrels had carried hazelnuts up onto the roof, and the shells had washed down and built up in the down pipes until they became blocked.

It was imperative that the walls were allowed to dry out for 18 months before any conservation work could be started. Annual checking of the downpipes is now undertaken which should prevent this project in the future.

April 2024

New energy efficient and adjustable lighting installed, better enabling a variety of uses and illuminating key heritage features of this Grade 2* listed building.