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Clarity of speech aids delivery of the word in Chester

17 02 RichardKing pic1 Blacon is an area of post-war housing on the outskirts of Chester, with St Theresa’s a bold landmark suburban church. The building style is distinctive modern Gothic, but with a conventional plan-form: a long, high nave with a prominent west door and offset corner tower.

The spacious, well-lit interior is conventionally arranged and retains some attractive fittings, including a striking mosaic reredos, oak pews and a marble altar and pulpit. The parish was created after the Franciscans of Chester provided a site for a church and presbytery in 1956, together with £1,000. Work commenced in April 1958 and the foundation stone was laid on 11 October that year. The presbytery and exterior of the church were completed in July 1959 and the first Mass was said on 14 December.

New sound system for St Peter’s Church, Hever

St Peter’s Church in Hever is the oldest of the three in the benefice, dating back to the 12th century and worship has been held here for over 875 years. It contains the tomb of Sir Thomas Bullen, father of Anne Boleyn and grandfather of Queen Elizabeth the First.

Surrey-based Scanaudio Ltd were invited to submit proposals for updating the 20-year-old sound and loop system for improved system performance and control with a clear upgrade path available for future integration with control and projection facilities. The company installed a TOA F series loudspeaker system with additional coverage for the Bullen Chapel and a small sub-bass to provide full-range sound reproduction for music sources.

Co-ordination allows numerous repairs to be carried out at once

V0sfNoY Two contracts were recently undertaken together as a single project at the Grade One-listed church of St Mary in Aylesbury. The works included stonework repairs, repointing, leadwork repairs, window restoration, the introduction of isothermal glazing, furniture and flooring repairs, as well as renewal of the boiler flue and various other sundry works. St Mary’s is a nationally important church. The ancient edifice has Saxon origins and has undergone many visible periods of growth, alteration and restoration – resulting in the characterful and imposing church we see today. The church dominates the town centre of Aylesbury and is situated in a walled churchyard ringed by historic buildings which, in effect, creates a setting akin to a cathedral close.

Summer proves the ideal time to replace church boilers

22 01 MandM pic1 The parish church of St Michael and All Angels in Tettenhall Regis, Wolverhampton looks at first sight to be a traditional listed church building. It is sited in one of two manors in Tettenhall parish, the other being Tettenhall Clericorum.

It is indeed Grade Two listed. But that belies a secret. In 1950 a terrible fire virtually destroyed the old church, leaving only the 16th-century tower and Victorian porch standing.

LCA Murdoch award winners turn their hand to conserving and restoring the roof of Salisbury Cathedral Museum

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Established in 1860, the Salisbury Museum also features notable exhibits that will captivate future generations eager to learn about Salisbury’s rich medieval history and connect with their past. The museum showcases its architectural marvels, including the renowned Salisbury Cathedral, which boasts the tallest spire in the United Kingdom. The Salisbury Museum is located in a Grade I- listed building called The King’s House.

York Handmade plays pivotal role in the restoration of iconic Welsh theatre

YHB Theatre Clwyd The award-winning York Handmade Brick Company has played a pivotal role in a restoration of Theatr Clwyd in North Wales.

York Handmade, based at Alne, near Easingwold, has supplied 37,000 specially manufactured bricks for the theatre, which had become unfit for purpose.

This significant contract was worth £37,000 to York Handmade, one of the leading independent brickmakers in the country.

Installing a clay tile roof: a step-by-step guide by Dude & Arnette

11URJuV Clay tile roofs are a popular choice due to their durability, aesthetic appeal, and ability to withstand all sorts of weather conditions. If you’re considering going full steam ahead on the DIY and installing a clay tile roof yourself on your home, it’s important to understand the process involved so as to best avoid any casualties! In this step-by-step guide, we will outline the process of installing a clay tile roof to help make things as smooth as possible, or decide that you might need to call in a professional!

Church’s locally listed status adds to contractor’s challenges

Brickwork Facade

When Hyssop Project began its first venture into the renovation of a church building, they encountered more than they first expected. The company’s founder and director SHEAHAN THORNE describes how the project developed.

Through an architect friend who attends the Hackney Evangelical Reformed Church on Lauriston Road, Victoria Park, we were initially asked to strip back elements of the building’s internal fabrics which was experiencing severe symptoms of dry rot and wet rot.

Follow safety advice when using ladders – or you could descend into chaos

09 09 Nimrod pic1 When working with ladders in churches or old buildings – which often have high ceilings and hard-to-reach places – it’s essential to follow safety guidelines, to prevent accidents and ensure the well-being of those involved. There are some key points to consider.

Milestone church gets 21st-century upgrade

14 1 RKS pic1 In 1895 there were about 100 Catholics in the Colwyn Bay area and Mass was celebrated in a private house in the town. However, on Sunday Mass was celebrated in a large room in the Imperial Hotel.

The year 1898 was a milestone for the Colwyn Bay Mission. In January of that year, at the invitation of the bishop, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate – a priestly order – took charge of the mission. The order is still serving the parish today.

Pioneering tiling restorer just keeps adding to his achievements

Heritage tiling pic Steve Sinnott can be said to be a man with a mission. That mission is to restore as many historic tiled floors and walls as he can, whether they are listed or not: so they can be viewed and enjoyed once more – by their owners in the case of private residences or by the general public in the case of the many public buildings he has worked on.

Steve began his working life as a stone carver, but a contract that had a badly damaged marble mosaic floor changed his life. It took him nearly three years to restore that floor, involving the cutting of almost one million cubes, or tesserae. It proved to be Steve’s epiphany. Before long he had travelled to other countries to restore mosaic floors, but soon specialised in Victorian encaustic and geometric tile restoration. Encaustic tiles revolutionised tiled flooring by allowing several colours to be included in one tile. The resulting patterns epitomised Victorian tiled floors.

‘Scope’ involvement sees ASWS earn refurb contract for historic Copthall House

vbj6qoo As an acknowledged specialist in the restoration of steel and other metal windows, Associated Steel Window Services (ASWS) is regularly called upon to carry out surveys for client’s consultant teams in advance of major projects beginning. Copthall House in the City of London being one instance where its involvement in preparing a scope document led to the company being awarded a contract to carry out the demanding work.

Magdalen College tower regains 16th-century lustre

Conservation specialist Peter Meehan ACR relates the story of the restoration of a storm damaged pinnacle in Oxford

Magdalen College is part of the University of Oxford and is located in the centre of the city to the east of the river Cherwell, with the Great Tower – also known as Magdalen Tower – sitting next to the High Street. The tower is an iconic piece of the college’s architecture and is currently listed Grade One by Historic England as part of what is known as the ‘Range’.

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