Spire and Masonry Repairs – St Mary with St Leonard Church

November 24, 2023 Rachel Finlay Comments Off

The Bakers of Danbury team carried out the extensive repairs required to restore the spire and tower the St Mary with St Leonard Church in Broomfield, Essex.

The spire was in a poor state of repair whereby the shakes (wooden tiles) on the spire had significantly deteriorated. Ongoing damage from wood peckers and squirrels had also affected the structural integrity of the supporting frame. The flint stone tower was also suffering from water penetration with weakened masonry and cracking.

The Restoration Program

The old and damaged shakes were removed and new shakes which were crafted from hard and durable high quality oak were installed. The spire structure was reinforced using stainless steel strips which were laid between the layers of the shakes. This was important not only from a structural point of view but to also future proof the spire from the risk of damage from woodpeckers and squirrels.

Repointing and masonry repairs were carried out to the flint stone tower to repair and prevent any further damage from weathering and water penetration. The finishing touch was the reguilding and the repair of the weather-vane providing the final touch to this church renovation.