PCC All Saints Patcham

All Saints Church, Patcham

Classification

Grade II*

Summary of Works

Design and engineering of the project scaffolding.
Installation of scaffolding to the tower and all external and internal elevations to provide safe access for conservation works.
Careful removal of the thick cementitious render from all external and internal elevations to expose the original historic stonework.
Detailed condition surveys of the exposed historic masonry.
Rebedding, rebuilding and selective replacement of flintwork, together with Caen and Wealdon stone dressings where required.
Deep repointing to flint masonry using traditional lime mortar mixes.
Application of lime render to internal wall surfaces.
Limewashing of repaired internal wall areas in accordance with traditional finishes.
Replacement of ageing plastic rainwater goods with traditional cast iron systems.
Repair of the existing ground gutter to ensure effective discharge of rainwater into the drainage system.
Fabrication and installation of new protective window guards to the stained glass windows.
Specialist conservation of the deteriorating Domesday wall painting, which has been affected by prolonged damp conditions.

Overall Description of Works

This award winning conservation project involved the careful restoration and stabilisation of the historic tower and its associated masonry fabric. Specialist scaffolding was designed and installed to the tower and all internal and external elevations to provide safe access for the works.

The project began with the meticulous removal of thick cementitious render from both the external and internal walls to reveal the original historic stonework beneath, followed by detailed condition surveys of the exposed masonry. Conservation works included the rebedding, rebuilding and selective replacement of flintwork together with Caen and Wealdon stone dressings where required, alongside deep repointing of the flint masonry using traditional lime mortar mixes. Internally, the walls were finished with breathable lime render and limewashed to provide a sympathetic historic finish.

Additional works included the replacement of ageing plastic rainwater goods with traditional cast iron systems, repairs to the existing ground gutter to ensure effective drainage, and the fabrication and installation of new protective window guards to safeguard the stained glass windows.

A particularly sensitive element of the project was the specialist conservation of the deteriorating Domesday wall painting, which had suffered from many years of damp conditions, ensuring its long term preservation as part of the building’s significant historic fabric.