During the quieter summer months there have been two major maintenance projects carried out on the Chapel.
In the first place we discovered broken tiles lying on the back patio and realised that the ridge tiles above the Chancel were looking very loose. We invited a roofing company to inspect and recommend what action might be required. After proposing work on the ridge particularly, we had them install scaffolding. As we might have expected, once up there they decided that the method of fixing the tiles with mortar many decades ago on that section of the Chancel roof was making the whole area friable and unstable. Inevitably we had to concur with their expert view and so had to invite them to replace the entire chancel roof – a rather different proposition. The men completed the work promptly, and we hope satisfactorily. They made an enormous mess in the garden, with huge piles of rubbish, but they then cleared it all away leaving everything impressively clean and tidy. That section of the Chapel roof at least should now last many more decades!
Over the last couple of years we have had increasing problems with the one of three radiators inside the Chapel, sometimes resulting in discomfort for our hirers. As these usually excellent radiators were probably more than 40 years old, we decided that all three of them should now be replaced. This work has now been completed, giving us three sleek and efficient new heaters that could be slotted without excessive extra work into the positions of their predecessors.
This may have been an expensive summer so far, but we can reassure you that we are attempting to maintain the fabric of the Chapel so it may last many more years.