How did the carpenters that originally built Shelley's roof know which bit went where? Answer - they numbered the joints. Using roman numerals, because they are made from straight lines that you can chisel easily, as this photo shows.All Saints continues to give up its secrets as the new roof takes shape. The work is going well, with not too many surprises. Except, that is, for discovering one corner of the tower was being held up by little more than roof joists, and had dropped several inches over the years. (It's been properly reinforced now).Our thanks go to all who have contributed to the appeal and fundraising events for this project, and to The National Churches Trust, The Wolfson Foundation, Suffolk Historic Churches Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, Belstead Ganzoni Charitable Settlement and Alfred Williams Charitable Trust.A mystery remains, however. Why aren't the rafters in numerical order?
Some rather different language is reverberating around All Saints these days. As well as the usual graces and benedictions we have new words which passeth all understanding - quoins, sprockets, bargeboards, firrings, noggings, stringcourses, sarking.Work on the roof is well under way and Shelley is revealing her hidden secrets - these are some of the rafters and sprockets exposed at the NW juntion of the nave and tower.No nasty surprises - yet!About 60% of the existing tiles can be salvaged for re-use, which is better than expected. Thanks to the contractors' thoughtful efforts the dustsheets are being temporarily removed for the regular Sunday services. Only Dame Margaret, the font and the organ remain under cover, while the church's more regular language returns for the day.
Tiles from the north slope of All Saints' nave roof are stacked neatly on scaffolding, waiting to be reused if possible.They have been in place since the 1970s. At that time mortar was used as a fixing, but this has since deteriorated and the whole roof face now has to be renewed. The old tiles are being carefully cleaned up by contractors Lodge and Sons so that as many as possible can be reused.The work is scheduled to take to the end of October, with services continuing but scaled back as much as possible. The interior is protected throughout with dustsheets.The project is being generously funded by The National Churches Trust, The Wolfson Foundation, Suffolk Historic Churches Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, Belstead Ganzoni Charitable Settlement and Alfred Williams Charitable Trust. Over 50% of the total costs are being met by our own fundraising efforts, including a Gardeners' Question Time event, drinks party and appeal.
After a busy weekend featuring two weddings and a baptism as well as the regular Sunday morning service, All Saints Shelley has gone under cover. The scaffolding is up. The alarms are installed. Polythene sheeting drapes the pews. Dame Margaret Tylney, who has been forlornly staring up at the pulpit for over 400 years, sports a rather fetching orange plastic wrap. It matches the organ in the south aisle. The work on the roof has begun at last, and All Saints is braced for action.The tiles on the north nave slope are being replaced and the work will take around 10 weeks. It is being generously funded by The National Churches Trust, The Wolfson Foundation, Suffolk Historic Churches Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, Belstead Ganzoni Charitable Settlement and Alfred Williams Charitable Trust, plus local churchgoers, residents and friends who have contributed enthusiastically to our appeal and fundraising events. Despite cost rises and unexpected extras, the money has been found, and contractors Lodge and Sons have taken up residence.Our services will continue throughout. We are looking forward to welcoming Bishop Martin to a special evensong on 6 November, to celebrate what will hopefully then be Shelley's smart new roof.
