The Heritage Lottery funded project to re-roof St Andrews is now almost complete. The new lead roof is finished and is protected by a sophisticated alarm system. The external walls have been rendered with a lime mortar to allow the building to breathe. A new pathway and glazed entrance doors have improved access to the church and the removal of some little used pews at the back of the nave has created more space around the font. The area under the medieval wallpainting now features a display of church history which is still being added to.
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Update December 2017
Following our successful application for a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, work on the Nave roof is now well advanced. The original roof timbers were found to be in good condition apart from two rafters which required some rotted timber to be removed and new oak scarfed into place. Internal works to remove some pews, repair the floor and install a display of church history are well advanced but are now waiting for the internal support scaffolding to be removed.
The majority of the finance has been provided by the Heritage Lottery Fund with supporting grants from the Allchurches Trust and St Andrews Restoration Appeal (SARA). This appeal has been running for five years and has raised over £27000 to date – donations always welcome!
Update August 2016
A great deal of work has been completed since the last update. The Chancel, Vestry and North Aisle were re roofed with lead, and repairs were carried out on the associated stonework. Rain dispersal systems were completely overhauled with the installation of new downpipes and five new soakaways and the new roof has also been protected with a roof alarm and smartwater marking. All this was made possible with a major grant from English Heritage together with supporting grants from the Woofson Trust and the Norfolk Churches Trust. This phase of the project was finally signed off in May of 2015 and was completed on budget.
In April of 2015 the Quinquennial Inspection identified a number of serious problems affecting the church building, notably the deteriorating condition of the nave roof and the hard cement render (applied during the 19th century) which was trapping moisture within the walls. Armed with this report a further grant application was made to the Heritage Lottery Fund in the Autumn of 2015 and we are pleased to report that a Development grant has been awarded to plan the re roofing of the Nave, South Aisle and Porch and the re-rendering of the walls with a lime based mortar. Other improvements being planned are an improved entrance, a heritage display and the removal of some pews to ease the circulation around the building.
Fundraising has continued unabated with regular filmshows, lotteries and other events. To date a total of £22,800 has been raised since the birth of St Andrews Restoration Appeal in May 2011.
Update September 2013
A lot of work has been going on this year at St Andrew’s. Architects and specialists have been to-ing and fro-ing examining the church, the Easter sepulchre, the wall paintings and the bats in detail to provide a definitive plan for the restoration work. The revised plan for the work is now for replacement of the copper on the North Aisle, Chancel and Vestry roofs with lead, and repair associated parapets; replace downpipes and below ground drainage and remove the external cement render and re-render with lime mortar. We were disappointed that the main roof is not included in this work but understand that the grants will not be sufficient to include all the roof work. That is for the future.
£12,447 has been raised to date of which £113.70 in 20ps which represents 108.4 metres or 118.2 yards. Our Hon Treasurer has emphasised the importance of our fund raising and we hope it will continue to trickle in – a deluge of donations would be good but we are realistic.
The plans for the autumn are to hold a Film Night – film yet to be decided – and if successful, this may become a regular event. In the spring we hope to hold a Pamper evening. Watch this space.