St. John’s Church under Repair or what is happening under the plastic??

Over the last few weeks St. John’s Church has been having a face lift under all that plastic and scaffolding. An army of masons and builders have been repairing the walls and tower of this ancient building. The Church was suffering from water ingress, the interior plaster was breaking down and the walls weeping. At one point the central internal granite arch was pouring with water after a particularly wet winter. Water was getting into the fabric of the church and not being able to get out thus building up between the inner and outer walls seriously compromising the whole building. The prospect of the spire deteriorating  with the potential for collapse becoming more real as time went by. A great deal of historical and specific physical research and observation led to the decision to carry out major repairs. This carried huge cost implications with which a small Parish would find hard to cope . However, to save ratepayers, the Rectory was sold. The proceeds, after the new rectory had been built, have been dedicated to the repair and refurbishment of the most ancient and historic Parish building.

The South East part of the church (the Lady Chapel)  and a tower were built in the twelfth century when the Island was under Norman influence although the outer walls have a Victorian ‘cladding’; the South Aisle was added in the thirteenth century and the chancel to the North East was constructed in the fifteenth century. Due to a storm it appears that the tower fell and damaged the South Aisle so that it was rebuilt during the reigns of James and Charles 1 with the Nave on the North West constructed to complete the main church as we know it today.

Through the ages various methods have been used to keep the church watertight. This has led to the spire being rendered at least four times! Each time the rendering broke down it was taken down; the last removal was during Reverend Manton’s time. It is doubtful that the planners would ever allow the tower to be rendered again as the glory of granite is revered.

Instead the masons have been tasked to remove the cement based mortar, to make repairs and fill voids in the walls and to put in lime based mortar so that any water ingressing  the building via the older porous granite can evaporate through the new mortar mix. The plastic sheeting or monoflex to give it its proper name, is not there just for the men’s comfort or safety for those passing below but has been required to keep the joints dry and protected from the weather as it takes a few days for the mortar to cure.

Repairs and renewal to the parts of the roof, guttering and other building sections have been carried out whilst the scaffolding is in place. Also during this stage of work the bells have been lowered in order to replace the concrete ringbeam from which they hung. Unfortunately the water over time  has rotted the reinforcing rods and so wooden beams will now be used to take the weight of the eight bells. The Church family have been delighted at the way the men and particularly Alan, the foreman, have looked after the interior of the Church allowing us to continue to use the Church for services. It is hoped that the scaffolding will be coming down in the next few weeks so that we can all admire the work of Jody and his team of masons.

This will not mark the end of the job but the end of stage one. The need to dry out the internal walls of the church will require removal of some of the lining plaster, particularly around the tower crossing, and replacing it with a more breathable mix. At this stage the church services will move across the road……..but that’s another story.

 Cement above - Lime Mortor below

 One of the masons packing the joints

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