November 2005
Robert reports that all the restoration work to the floors has
been completed.
Similarly all the windows, including replacement stonework, have
been completed in the tower, chancel and nave.
Wall Paintings
The Anglo-Saxon wall paintings still remain to be enhanced and preserved.
English Heritage who issues the restoration guidelines will not
presently uncover any more of the ancient wall paintings for fear
of destroying the later period paintings that form the outer layer
in some areas.
The sheer cost of funding this restoration work will be substantial
as it will inevitably involve the hiring of specialized professional
restorers
There may be progress next year but much relies on the acceptance
and resulting award of grant money from the Heritage Lottery Fund
to whom we have applied.
Should our application prove successful restoration work on the
wall paintings could commence by August 2006.
Furniture
English Heritage has advised that better furniture is needed –
a part of the hoped for grant money will fund this.
Interior Lighting
The interior lighting stills remains to be installed.
As mentioned in a previous report the lighting will need to be diffused
in order that it not deteriorate the wall paintings.
Adjacent Graveyard Discovered
St.Mary’s and the site it occupies continue to offer up more
previously hidden clues to its past. As a result of deep ploughing
in a field to the west of the churchyard a local farmer uncovered
human remains.
Robert investigated this area and by locating an ancient map determined
that this area had been used as an overflow cemetery in the 1600’s.
It appeared that long ago the farmer who had been
working the land back then had been overly hasty to take over this
area of the churchyard when it fell into disuse.
Although the present-day farmer considered he still had a legal
right to continue working this area he acknowledged Robert’s
position that there was at least moral right that St.Marys should
have this quarter-acre of land returned.
It was all resolved when the farmer agreed to cede
the land with the understanding he has an easement enabling him
and his farm machinery to access the other fields via a boundary
lane.
There must have been a compelling need to expand
the churchyard in the 1600’s to accommodate more burials as
the original churchyard was full and legislation forbade further
burials within the same plot until at least one hundred years had
lapsed.
Since this land was ceded to St.Marys Robert and
volunteers have been busy clearing and re-planting. This area had
also been deeply rutted prior to them leveling it out.
Field Walking
In addition to remains of a roman building fabric there is material
evidence of Bronze Age settlement.
There is also more evidence indicating that the earlier Iron Age
settlement extends well into the surrounding fields and thus suggests
a much larger village than previously thought.
Robert reports that shards of Iron Age pots can be found everywhere
- he made the amusing comment that they must have had a dislike
of doing the washing up and instead opted to just discard their
dirty pots!
Pre-dating the Iron Age are finds of flint workings from the Neolithic
period. A provisional date of 8,000BC has been suggested but, interestingly,
Robert notes that the flint workings could be older still.
BBC Television Broadcast
A crew from BBC television has recently wrapped up over 60 hours
of filming at St.Marys as part of an upcoming series called ‘Passion
for Churches’.
St.Mary’s was one of only twelve churches selected from around
the UK for this series that is scheduled to be aired on episode
18.
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Please visit this page from time to time
to learn of the ongoing progress, and the realization of Robert
Davey's dream of the total restoration of this unique ancient
church of St.Mary the Virgin.
With your financial help this will become a reality and will
become a key piece of our communal and religious heritage.
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November
2003
Pathway
The present path being used to the West door was excavated to reveal
another underlying path in excellent condition. Robert established
that this earlier path had been used until 1932 when it was covered
up with backfill, rocks and even a section of old telephone cable
that it was known had once connected two local farms!
According to one elderly gentleman in the nearby village of North
Pickenham, the path was covered up in 1932 because it was considered
too much trouble to keep swept.
According to parish records the path was laid in the Georgian period
in 1790 and consists of bricks laid on end with tile cemented on
top.
North
Window
The North Window has now been fully restored and with a beautiful
blue border looks wonderful. Of note is the restored early stone
work of the window being unique due to the original lower lobe having
being carved unequally and as a result the lower tear-shaped weepers
are correspondingly irregular.
Small
Anglo-Saxon Window: North Wall
The Small Anglo-Saxon Window in the North wall will remain blocked
up due to present concerns that too much of the original surrounding
fabric would be damaged in the process if it were to be opened up
and restored.
South
Window
This project has been subject to delay due to earlier contractors
backing out saying the scope of the work involved was beyond their
capability.
However, the South Window is now surrounded with scaffolding inside
and out while undergoing renovation. New contractors are now making
the stone window frame that will soon be fitted.
There is a selection of removed carved stone pieces from the earlier
window from which one can see the mason’s personal mark that
until removed had been hidden. His distinctive mark on these pieces
can be dated and also traced to between 1400 and 1420 to High Easter
in Essex.
Piscina
A newly carved piscina has been set in place into the right-hand
corner of the chancel arch.
North Door
A new piscina has been set into place
beside the north door.
The North Door is to remain shut. This is in compliance with the
order of Pope Innocent the Third that he made in the year 1213.
Until this order the congregation considered that if the Devil entered
the church through the West door then they could always provide
him an exit using a door in the North wall.
There was a piscina set into the wall beside this exit door so as
to give someone an opportunity to throw holy water onto the Devil
and he passed by and, as a result, turn him into steam as he exited
through this North door.
The intent of the Pope’s order of 1213 was to put a stop to
what he considered the superstitious practice of the opening and
closing of the North door for the Devil’s exit !
South Door
The South Door has been unblocked and fully restored.
The overhead wooden lintel that was set into the wall has been dated
to the 1400’s. The bark of the pinewood was still left on
when it was fitted.
The original forged door hinges are as good as the day they were
made (1400’s) and are still in use.
Visitors
Visitors continue to be fascinated upon arrival and tend to spend
much more time than they had expected. People are hearing of the
unique and ancient history and features of St.Mary’s and come
from all over Europe, North America and as far away as China.
One of the more distinguished visitors in July of 2002 was Lord
Cranbourne – Leader of the House of Lords.
There’s Something About St.Mary’s!
In addition to the infrequent appearance outside of the solitary
Carmalite priest is now seen an acquaintance …. another
Carmalite priest who appears more elderly and walks slightly bend
over.
While Robert was elsewhere inside the church, one of the local
parishoners, who had just attended an outside service one Sunday,
came into the church to inform Robert in a matter-of-fact manner
– “while we were at the service two of ‘your’
ghosts just walked through us …” !!
My attention was also drawn to an ‘odd’ photograph
lying on a display table in the west door entrance -
On another occasion a visitor had taken this photograph from inside
the nave of his wife who, at the time, was standing just inside
the west door entrance.
What he wanted to capture was the figure
standing to her right side and behind her. It appears like a human
figure and the photograph has been subjected to tests to determine
it was not an error originating in the camera and to also confirm
that this second blurry figure shows a different face to that
of her.
An itemized breakdown
of costs and monies needed for immediate repairs as per estimate
follows - |
| Cost of
Repairs and Restorations |
| a) Stabilization and Enhancement of the
Anglo- Saxon Wall Paintings |
92,000 Pounds // $ 142,600 USD ( X 1.55
) |
| b) Nave Open Double Splay Window |
1,000 Pounds // $ 1,550 USD ( X 1.55 ) |
c) Tower Window – West Wall Stonework To Be
Repaired and Re-Glazed
|
8,000 Pounds // 14,120 US Dollars |
| d) Good Quality Nave Seating |
|
| (e) Internal Lighting of a Diffused Type to Protect
the Wall-Paintings |
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| (f) Ongoing Re-Pointing of the Stonework |
|
| (g) Laneway Maintenance and Upkeep of the Grounds |
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September
2002
"Robert reports that the new nave and tower floor
have been laid together with total repairs to the
chancel, including chancel steps and installation
of new east window. We now need to attend to the nave
north window and after, the two windows on the south
side, one of which, the double-splay window circa
1220, is of such a unique design not found anywhere
else in the UK. Finally the ancient Anglo-Saxon wall
paintings will need stabilizing and protecting. Once
this is completed final repairs to the nave will round
things out". |
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Robert concludes - "
Much time and money is still required to complete the repairs
and donations are very much needed to complete this work and
for ongoing maintenance of St. Mary's and the churchyard." |
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March 2002
Restoration and Discoveries To Date
Nave Floor
The whole area of the nave floor has been excavated down
to the 10th century level. During this project a piece of stonework
was discovered and it was soon identified as a missing piece of
the font stem! It was discovered buried in the centre of the nave
floor and must have lain there for some time as it is in a noticeably
better state of preservation compared to the other sections of the
font stem. Why it was buried and why in that particular location
one can only surmise and perhaps is reflective that St. Mary's will
keep offering us pieces of the past but not always offer us the
whole story. Robert had always considered the font was on the short
side and this revelation seems to have confirmed his suspicion.
We hope the Anglo-Saxon wall paintings extend down
to the excavated 10th century level and have been better preserved
but presently all we see is the outer layer of medieval plaster
of which we will need permission to remove in order to expose any
traces of the earlier wall paintings.
During the same excavation it was discovered that,
sadly, all the 18th century tombs that lay immediately underneath
the nave floor have been broken into and the great majority of the
human remains removed. As a consequence of these tombs having been
broken into, the slate leger memorial slabs that had lain over the
tombs were broken. These are presently being salvaged and reset
into the floor in their former position. Matching the memorial slab
to the correct tomb is underway by referring to the burial records.
This can only be another despicable example of the 30 year period
of activity of those black magic worshipers whose members Robert
encountered in the early days of saving this church.
These tombs are typical of the 18th century as being barrel-shaped
and constructed of brick and these in turn lie above another layer
of tombs that are recorded as family tombs.
Chancel Steps
The chancel steps were smashed as another consequence of those satanic
worshippers breaking into the tomb of the Reverend Robert Say that
lies in front of the altar. As mentioned in the main article, his
long bones and skull were removed and presumably used for their
evil rituals.
The smashed steps will be replaced with newly made ones to be installed
this year.
Tower and Nave Partition
The temporary partition that had been erected between the nave and
the tower has been removed. This has opened up this area and makes
it appear much larger giving a better and more pleasing overall
impression.
South Door
The south door has been unblocked and is usable again. This had
been blocked up since Victorian times with an unsightly lattice
style of brickwork. Of particular interest is the pointed outer
stone arch to this doorway that was taken from the south aisle when
it was demolished around 1400 to be re-used here. The doorway through
the wall is otherwise squared in section and features several planks
of ancient oak forming the lintel that run right across the wall
in a typical Anglo-Saxon architectural style. The door was still
in place and has been repaired and boasts a set of well preserved
stout hinges that run right across. This door would appear to be
15th century.
East Window
The east window is to be replaced shortly. The old one was ripped
out and two internal pillars were damaged in the process that will
have to be remade. A leaded window will be installed but it will
feature clear glass with a coloured glass border - retaining the
original 18th century style and this will allow more natural light
into the chancel.
The lintel for this window has now been replaced. The original lintel
was found to be an off cut from a pine tree that had been cut in
half, length ways and which still had the bark on.
Mortar Re-pointing
Prior to the installation of the guttering and down pipes rainwater
run-off would fall clear off the walls but upon hitting the ground
would splash against the lower part of the walls. During the course
of many years this action had the effect of loosening and washing
out the mortar from between the flint stones. It is expected that
mortar re-pointing to address this problem will be carried out this
year.
Exploratory Trench
Planned for the near future is an exploratory trench to be dug across
where the earlier and longer ancient chancels were. This trench
will be outside the present and shorter chancel that was built in
1760.
Total Restoration of the Nave
We aim to totally restore the nave but this work is postponed until
sufficient funds are available due to the size of this project.
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