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St Wilfrid’s RC Parish Church in Preston city centre is a Grade Two*-listed Jesuit church which draws a substantial number of worshippers throughout the week. It is basilican in form and Italianate in style, with a particularly ornate and impressive interior carried out in exotic materials. Frank Roberts of Preston-based Francis Roberts Architects said of the interior: “Ranks of giant columns of polished Shap granite, topped with gilded composite capitals, define the nave, which terminates in a semi-domed and coffered apse. The aisle walls are lined in rich marbles and mosaics and there is an impressive display of stained glass.”
The Historic Buildings Parks & Gardens Event 2019
Entrance to this major heritage conservation day is free of charge. The event - to be held at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, Westminster on Tuesday 12th November - is all about the care, repair, conservation, maintenance, preservation and restoration of historic buildings, their contents and surrounding landscapes.
The all-day exhibition will consist of 75 exhibitors offering advice, solutions, guidance and support, as well as a wide and diverse range of products and services. Ranging from the traditional to cutting edge technology and across all areas of historic building and landscape conservation.
Read more: The Historic Buildings Parks & Gardens Event 2019
Preserving traditional buildings: it’s a matter of application
At Suffolk-based Rickards Period Plastering Ltd they feel fortunate to have the opportunity to be working in an area of the country that has a wealth of unique architectural design, using what they feel is a special product: the chalky lime plaster and render. Here, Mike Rickards shares his enthusiasm for traditional plasters.
Read more: Preserving traditional buildings: it’s a matter of application
New tool for live broadcasting Mass
Belltron Ireland & UK Ltd are pleased to introduce you to the new Belltron BST-3000, a useful, NO SUBSCRIPTION, tool for broadcasting live Mass. Belltron has developed its own ISAC (Internet Speech Audio Codec) system offering parishioners who are unable to attend the celebrations the opportunity to listen to all liturgies live or deferred. This device is a useful tool for the priest to stay in touch with their community and for parishioners to continue to feel part of the community, if they can't attend church.
The BST-3000 is particularly simple to manage for the parish priest:
- INSTALL the BST-3000 by plugging it into your PA AUX and connect it to your WiFi or 4G
connection. - TURN ON and you are live.
Parishioners just have to:
- Download the Belltron Streaming APP to mobile phone, tablet or PC
- Select their parish
- The days mass/service will now be available to listen to until the next mass/service takes place.
- EXCELLENT AUDIO QUALITY
- NO SUBSCRIPTION COSTS
- In the absence of an ADSL/WiFi connection a 4G mobile connection cann also be used.
Price: £2700.00 (€3000.00) + VAT.
Visit the website www.belltron.co.uk
New church building is an award-winner
On 12 May 1894 a parcel of land on Elizabeth Road in Caterham – now Francis Road – was purchased at a cost of £32, for a new church building to be called Oak Hall. The church building was completed during July and August at a cost of £206, and opened on Thursday 13 September of that year.
Fast forward 125 years and there is a new Oakhall church building in the heart of the Caterham community – a building which has been named South East Regional Winner in the 2019 LABC Building Excellence Awards in the Best Public Service Building category.
Ecclesiastical makes grant to help support the next generation of stonemasons
Ecclesiastical Insurance has made a £12,500 grant to the Cathedrals’ Workshop Fellowship (CWF) to support the conservation and repair of UK Cathedrals.
Working with nine cathedrals across the UK, including Gloucester, Canterbury, York Minster and Salisbury Cathedral, and in collaboration with the University of Gloucestershire, the CWF offers stonemasons, carpenters, joiners and electricians a recognised career path and route to higher qualifications through a two-year, work-based study programme.
Read more: Ecclesiastical makes grant to help support the next generation of stonemasons
‘Capability’ Brown lead fountain dedicated
A fountain in Westminster Abbey’s cloister garth to commemorate the tercentenary of the great 18th century landscape gardener Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown was dedicated last year.
The fountain was made in lead by Brian Turner, who is a veteran exhibitor at the Chelsea Flower show and prominent committee member of the Lead Contractors Association.
Why live stream is now mainstream
The restrictions around the COVID-19 pandemic have led to many churches venturing into the online world in a much more comprehensive way than before. While most churches have had some kind of online presence and the Church of England has it’s a Church Near You site, the live streaming of services has become much more common. And modern AV equipment is perfectly suited to communicating via the internet.
Cast aluminium ornamental hoppers – in 'textured black' with next day delivery
Rainclear Systems, the UK’s leading stockist and online retailer of metal rainwater systems, has recently broadened the range of cast aluminium ornate hoppers it offers from stock for next day delivery in 'textured black' – the most frequently requested colour and finish.
They have seen a slow decline in demand for cast iron rainwater systems and an equivalent increase in demand for cast aluminium for restoration and refurb projects – being easier to install, less expensive and requiring very little ongoing maintenance.
Read more: Cast aluminium ornamental hoppers – in 'textured black' with next day delivery
Restoration of John Skeaping statues
Recently Houghtons of York completed the restoration of three statues – each over six feet tall and carved by John Skeaping, the husband to Barbra Hepworth for six years and well-renowned carver who is best known for his work in stone and equestrian pieces.
They were the artist’s last large scale commission and were carved from Nigerian Opepe for Kings College Cambridge – below left is a historic photo of them stood in place.
Spotlight on church and heritage work in Bath
Founded by the Romans as a thermal spa, Bath became an important centre of the wool industry in the Middle Ages. In the 18th century, under George III, it developed into an elegant town with neoclassical Palladian buildings, which blend harmoniously with the Roman baths.
There is a World Heritage Site Management Plan (2010) for the site and a World Heritage Site coordinator is responsible for implementing the objectives and action plan.
Specialist work inside Scone Palace chapel restores historic alabaster monument
Specialist work to restore the intricate alabaster monument in Scone Palace's gothic chapel has been completed. A four week project, this is the first time the monument has undergone restoration work since 1921.
The work inside the small Presbyterian chapel, which looks upon the famous replica Stone of Scone on Moot Hill, has been completed by a specialist mason after a report by a conservation architect identified a number of areas requiring restorative work on the monument.
Read more: Specialist work inside Scone Palace chapel restores historic alabaster monument
Five new awards and £100,000 in six years
The Castles Studies Trust are excited to announce five grants totalling a record £27,000 that will advance our understanding of castles. These awards mean they have reached the landmark of giving away £100,000 in grants. It has taken six years to do that, during which time the Trust has doubled the maximum amount they can award to £10,000.
Druminnor, Aberdeenshire – Using GPR for an investigation of the 15th century core of the castle – presently under a hardcore car park. This was the original caput of the lords of Forbes. During the 15th century they were amongst the most powerful families in the North-east of Scotland.
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