Under the project management of Adrian Ward, the Bakers team carried out the extensive repairs required to restore the spire and tower at St Mary with St Leonard Church in Broomfield in Essex.
The Restoration Project
The spire was in a poor state of repair whereby the shakes (wooden roof tiles) on the spire had significantly deteriorated. Damage from woodpeckers and squirrels had also affected the structural integrity of the supporting spire frame. The flint stone tower was also suffering from water penetration and cracking which had weakened the masonry and pointing.
The Work
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 to provide strength and to 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 further damage from weathering and water penetration. The finishing touch was the reguilding and repair of the weather-vane.
The scaffolding has now been removed unveiling the repaired church and its restoration.
The Church Department
The Church Department are based at Danbury in Essex and operate throughout Essex, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Kent and Hertfordshire working on the restoration of some of the finest churches in the area.
Project News: Spire and Masonry Repairs
Under the project management of Adrian Ward, the Bakers team carried out the extensive repairs required to restore the spire and tower at St Mary with St Leonard Church in Broomfield in Essex.
The Restoration Project
The spire was in a poor state of repair whereby the shakes (wooden roof tiles) on the spire had significantly deteriorated. Damage from woodpeckers and squirrels had also affected the structural integrity of the supporting spire frame. The flint stone tower was also suffering from water penetration and cracking which had weakened the masonry and pointing.
The Work
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 to provide strength and to 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 further damage from weathering and water penetration. The finishing touch was the reguilding and repair of the weather-vane.
The scaffolding has now been removed unveiling the repaired church and its restoration.
The Church Department
The Church Department are based at Danbury in Essex and operate throughout Essex, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Kent and Hertfordshire working on the restoration of some of the finest churches in the area.
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