End of week 8 - tower back gutter structure and lead lining complete; eaves timberwork and rafter repairs complete; felt and battens complete; tiling 95% complete; re-ridging 95% complete.Despite some poor weather, progress has been good. Outstanding work includes the completion of the nave and tower flashings, and refixing rainwater goods.We're nearly there..
It's the end of Week 6 and Shelley's secrets have been hidden away again for, we hope, a good long time to come.Some of the underlying rafters had sagged over the years, and oak infills have been added to straighten the line. The sarking felt is in place and the tile battens nearly finished.3 pallets of new tiles have arrived. These are very slightly different in size from the old ones that have been rescued for reuse. They just don't make that size anymore! But you won't see the join - it will be hidden behind the tower.Just hope they rescue that saw before the tilers get to work...
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?
