PROGRESS
JULY
2008
The scaffolding is now fully erected. Several
of the cracks in the Tower have been 'opened-up' for
inspection and removal of deleterious material. Some
further cracking and 'movement' has been identified and to
these areas more 'opening-up' is necessary and additional
structural repairs will be required. Over the next few
weeks, the cracks will be re-bonded with flints and resin
tie structural repairs.
Here are a few photos idicating the progress to
date:
Church Tower now fully scaffolded
One of the cracks in the Tower fully opened viewed from inside the
Tower.
A crack viewed from the scaffold outside the
Tower
Another crack viewed from the scaffold outside the
Tower
BELLS REMOVAL AT ST. MARY'S
July 1st saw the start of the removal of the
bells. As at 6pm that day, 4 bells had been lowered to the
ground. The last bell (one that is cracked) was removed on July 5th
and is off to the repairers. All bells are being retuned and
should be back hung in a brand new bellframe in early 2009. A
debt of gratitude is owed to those who gave up their time to assist
in the removal of the bells - Graham & Veronica Downing, Jason
Busby, Jonathan Carman, Paul Davies.
Bells in-situ
Allan Brittan (Nicholsons bellhangers) at top of
trap steadying bell
Here you can see one of the bells
coming down through the trap in the bell tower. It is lowered
by a low ratio block and tackle.
Steadying at ground
level
The following sequence of photos tracks the travel of the bell down
to the ground
Nearly down!
And here the bell is virtually down, ready to be placed on a pallet
for moving to a lorry to go away for
re-tuning.
Note the very good turnout of interested villagers
and ringers who witnessed this historic event for
Chediston.
Jonathan Carman
assisting
And on to the lorry for
re-tuning
Margaret Bloomfield (who used to ring the bells at Chediston many
years ago) standing beside two of the lowered bells
TOWER
REPAIR WORK STARTS AT ST.
MARY'S
Work officially started on Monday 23rd June at St. Mary's with
scaffolding being erected around the Tower in order to gain access
to the perimeter wall cracking. Protection is being
constructed around the font and laid to the floor within the
church. The photo shows the first couple of scaffold lifts in
place.
This is the progress of the scaffolding as at July 1st.
Also note the neat appearance of the cut and strimmed grass in
front of the church (cut and strimmed that day!)
Doug Cady Rings
Bells at
Chediston
Doug Cady rang the Chediston Church bells at Evensong on
Sunday 22nd June for the very last time before the bells are
removed for repair and re-tuning. The Evensong Service was
well attended and especially in Doug's honour with wonderful
singing from the choir and with Doug choosing two of the
hymns. Sherry and nibbles were served afterwards and a toast
was proposed to thank him for his dedication to ringing at
Chediston.
The photo on the left is of Doug multi-tasking for the last time
this year!
The refurbished bells should ring out again in early 2009 so
Doug will have a few months to get his strength together to carry
on where he left off this year! Well done Doug and we await
your ringing of the
re-installed bells!
Chediston's
Bells Coming
Out!
Our bells will be out of
the tower and on display in the church for everyone
to come and see and touch on Tuesday 1st July before they are
taken off to Whitechapel Bell Foundry London for
tuning. This is an opportunity of a lifetime for most of
us and the bells are part of Chediston
community's heritage. So, come and see how big they are
and send them on their way for restoration.
Information on the bells and on bell-ringing and refreshments will
be available between 5 and 7.30 p.m. on Tuesday 1st July. Everyone
welcome - young and old. A chance for brass rubbing the
inscriptions too.
Further information: contact
Veronica Downing on 01986 873184
CONTRACTS
PLACED
We can
report that a Letter of Intent has been placed with a contractor
and an official order has
been sent to a Bells
Repairer and Installer in respect of the works to St. Mary's
Church Chediston. You should be seeing some external
scaffolding enveloping the Tower very shortly; this will
enable a closer inspection of the perimeter walling to be made
and will also facilitate the specified repairs.
It is proposed to remove the bells during June and notice will be
given of this to give us all the opportunity of inspecting these on
the ground prior to going away to be refurbished,repaired and
re-tuned. It is hoped that the repaired bells and new bell
frame will be in position in early
2009.
Volunteer labour
is still required to reduce the expenditure on the works - can you
help? See 'Help Required' heading further down this
page.
John
Allport (An honorary lay canon) has written the followng in respect
of the efforts of Jane Burroughes to secure funding for the repairs
to the Church Tower:
Click on the link:
JohnAllportDocument.pdf
CHEDISTON PCC GOOD
NEWS!!!
Read the Report of the very recent Chediston
Parochial Church Council. This includes great news of
the funding for the Church Tower Repairs and Bells Installation.
Click on the link:
AnnualChedistonPCCReport.pdf
Also - Read the Press Report
issued following the award of a Heritage Lottery Grant to Chediston
Church. Click on the link:
ChedistonbellsHLFgrant.pdf
HELP
REQUIRED
As you will have read, th bells have now been
successfully removed from Chediston Church. These will be
returned in January/February 2009.
In order to save monies the Bellhangers are willing to use any
volunteer labour from the village and this could amount to a
considerable saving. The volunteer labour for removing the
bells worked well and I am now looking for volunteers to carry
out general labouring works (no more strenuous than heavy
gardening!) in January and February 2009. You would need to
supply overalls and maybe steel toecap shoes; safety helmets would
be supplied and full Health and Safety Insurance cover would be
provided by the contractor.
If you think that you may be able to assist in 2009, please contact
me ASAP - 01986-785440 or via the 'Contact Us' tab on this
website.
David Mantell