What lies below is testament to heating installer’s expertise

In a recent issue of Ecclesiastical and Heritage World the cover story featured the restoration project at the Grade One-listed Church of St Andrew in Epworth, Lincolnshire – known as The Wesleys’ church. A long-suspected Saxon church had been found under the concrete floor when it was lifted for replacement with a more authentic stone floor.

The lifting of the floor provided the opportunity to replace the old heating system with an underfloor system. The installation of underfloor heating in Grade One-listed churches is often fraught with difficulty, so the opportunity to do so without disturbing the fabric was grasped.

The new system was installed by Yorkshire-based Byfield Heating Ltd, specialists in underfloor installations.

The success of the project was not lost on another of North Lincolnshire’s Grade One listed churches. All Saints in Winterton also dates back to the Saxon period, although the present building is medieval. A major restoration project was needed and the same team appointed to carry it out as was successful in Epworth.

Work began on the internal re-ordering of All Saints in November last year, beginning with the archaeological investigation beneath the floor. As with the Epworth project, a Saxon church was found together with other remains.

Byfields began the installation of the ductwork beneath the floor. Recycled glass was used with a limecrete base, on which the trench ducts and the associated, unjointed cables and supply pipe were laid, pinned to the limecrete. Finally, a screed was laid over and stone tiles installed to provide an authentic floor.

The work on the heating is now approaching a conclusion and the church is back in use on a periodic basis.

Byfield Heating were a natural choice for the project. Their sympathetic approach to working in an architecturally rich environment has won many accolades from heritage and ecclesiastical architects and PCCs alike throughout the North of England.

Indeed, for many years the company has been privileged to work closely with heating advisors on the York, Wakefield, Bradford and Sheffield Diocesan Advisory Committees. Being involved with these bodies and having a positive input into important decisions that affect our heritage is a constant source of satisfaction and pride.

For more from this company, visit their website www.yorkshireheating.co.uk