Fundraising
Following on from the successful 2020 project to undertake repairs to the tower, the next project was to re-render the outer walls of the nave as these had been patched and repaired on a running basis for many years.
Scaffolding went up on both the north and south sides of the nave in June 2023 and the original lime render on the north side quickly came off, revealing a problem - we did not strip the south at this stage. We had believed that the walls would be constructed of flint, crag and bricks, and a small amount of septaria - a very crumbly local mud stone. We found that the walls were mostly septaria to height of an earlier wall head at 10ft, extended subsequently by a further 6ft using a mix of crag and brick with very little septaria present. The septaria was in a very poor condition, but fortunately, the English Heritage project to preserve Orford Castle had established the optimal process of re-rendering septaria and their contractors were happy to share their knowledge with us. The new render on the north side was applied successfully in two treatments in July 2023, a rough cast followed by a top layer.
We then turned to the south side and removed the old render – which came off even more quickly! We had hoped it would be no worse than the north, but again septaria, and worryingly in a much worse condition. It appears that years of windblown rain getting behind the face of the old render, together with frost and the full force of the sun for 1000 years had contributed to the widespread failure of the outer face of septaria. The works on the ground came to a worrying halt as we consulted the Diocese. The problem was further compounded by the outward lean of the wall and the presence within it of the old rood stairway, which would have provided access to the rood loft and separated the nave from the chancel. In places the wall was only a few inches thick – and this explains why the Tudor era buttress is positioned on the outer face of the southern wall.
A pragmatic solution was proposed to broaden the base of the wall with a new brick buttress, which in turn would be rendered. A new limecrete foundation was to be constructed 10” wide and 6ft long and on this the new brick work would taper to the original wall head, some 10ft above ground level. The diocese appreciated our dilemma, recognised the urgency of the situation and agreed to help us. Further delay with the south side exposed could have structural implications, the choice of material was limited as working again with flint and brick similar to that undertaken on the north side would take too long (let alone the financial implications) and we need to get the render applied and cured before the risk of winter frosts. Approval was speedily given by the Society for Protection of Ancient Buildings, and Historic England. The Church of England has special status in planning terms so approval from East Suffolk District Council was not required. We were underway again! Render was applied at the end of October, with scaffolding finally removed in November 2023.
And so, to the next project. The south facing Tudor porch has provided shelter for travellers and worshipers for many years, but age is now getting the better of it. The October 2024 Quinquinnial report showed that the porch is deteriorating with concerns about the condition of the roof structure and particularly significant decay in what appears to be a decorative but structural timber cornice that provides support to the roof. This is of raised tie construction and fully open internally. Decay in the cornice has affected the timber ashlar and plastered infill, causing rotation, and it appears that the rafters (which are concealed from view) are not continuous but have been patch repaired. To gain access for repair, existing roof coverings will have to be removed and reinstated.
So, and you know what’s coming next - should you feel able to contribute to this project, or make a regular donation to the church, please do contact us.
Whilst the PCC has put in place a project to restore and maintain the physical future of St Edmund’s, it needs to also consider the financial future of our parish church. We appreciate that many people in the village are not able to attend church on a regular basis. As a Parish church, St Edmund’s is available to be used by everyone, not only for regular worship, but also for special occasions such as baptisms, weddings, and funerals, or for just quiet contemplation. Bromeswell is a better village for a healthy church in its midst. However, additional funding is always welcome as our reserves have been massively depleted by the tower and wall repair projects and there is yet more work to be done to safeguard our church for the future.
To donate, please copy and paste the link www.tinyurl.com/stedmunds2020 for digital donations, or download the form below.</span>
Your support would be most welcome.