Lighting the Christmas Tree and the Carol Service 2011
Space Project: Preliminary Works December 2011
Archaeologist, Mike Webber, returned in December to record the findings of the archaeological survey and to make plans and sketches, before the underfloor area was again covered over during the building works. The archaeological project was completed and signed off on December 12th, following a meeting with the Diocesan Archaeological Advisor, who was most interested and impressed by what had been done. StoneCo Construction then started on the work to install the heating.
Mike Webber "cleans up" the excavation in the nave prior to making a visual record.
Measuring and sketching significant features.
Features are recorded accurately on graph paper.
15th century pier base located in south east nave, below which can be seen evidence of an even earlier structure (covered with pink mortar). No further evidence was found to help date this.
Green glazed medieval floor tile.
The Victorians installed air vents below the pew bases.
Mike got a surprise when he stuck his camera through an air vent and found an empty vault under the main aisle in the nave!
Some stone-lined graves were uncovered, but not excavated and no in-situ human remains were found. This one dates to 18th or early 19th century.
Nave excavated to depth of 12 inches with Victorian pew bases removed.
West wall of tower with original sill of 15th century door revealed. This will be retained when new door is installed.
Recording levels within the church.
Final check on the south aisle.
Colin Platt and Mike Webber show Diocesan Archaeological Advisor, Rev. Martin Fletcher, what the survey revealed.
Our builders, StoneCo, were given the go-ahead to start work.
Church shut! Mike and Matt have to implement strict Health and Safety rules during construction work.
South aisle covered with gravel layer.
Concrete will be laid on top of this layer prior to installation of the heating.
Space Project: Preliminary Works November 2011
The following photos record the preliminary works done before building work starts. The first step has been to conduct a survey to make sure that the works will not damage any important archaeological features or burials. Then work to install a new heating system including underfloor heating, toilets with disabled access and a kitchenette can begin.
St John the Baptist Church, Littlehemspton.
Local people have been working hard to raise enough money to install underfloor heating, toilets and a kitchen. Here, Louise Lewis presents a cheque for £2,000 on behalf of the Co-Op Society to Professor Colin Platt, flanked by Mike Young and Tim Moorhouse (StoneCo Historic Buildings) and Space Project Team, Gerald and Judy Hine-Haycock and Ruth Massey.
The calm before the storm ....
Rev Nicholas starts to pack things up.
Mike Webber (archaeologist), Jerome Cardwell (digger driver) and Paul Heighway (architect) investigate site of new entrance in west side of tower. This will give wheelchair access to toilets, sited where the current kitchen is.
Here goes!
Mike records the wall under the kitchen window.
Detailed sketches are made before this wall is demolished.
This will form part of the archaeologist's report.
Deft touches from Jerome on the digger uncovered more of the wall: no traces of the medieval structure supporting the tower were found, so work may go ahead here.
Inside, scaffolding is erected around the organ.
The organ is covered to protect it from dust.
Mike Young, from StoneCo Construction, carefully removes the planks below the pews.
Mike Webber, aided by volunteers, Colin Platt and Mike Thomas, investigates earth below the pews. It was then decided that in order to do a comprehensive survey, all the pews would be removed at this point.
South side of the nave with pews removed. During Phase 2 of the project, underfloor heating will be installed in the pew areas on both sides of the nave. Sandstone paving will be laid and then the pews returned.
Colin and Nicholas remove soil and start to uncover the tops of walls, built by the Victorians to support the pews.
The soil must be dug out to a depth of one foot to enable a concrete base and underfloor wiring for heating to be installed.
Happily, no burials were discovered - it is probable that the Victorians removed any parishioners buried here when they installed the pews. The channels seen running across the nave go right across the church and through the walls: they are probably Victorian air ducts to ventilate the planks under the pews.
Mike records pits dug outside in areas where work to install septic tanks and pumps will go.
Jerome waits patiently!
Mike and Colin investigate the north side of the nave.
No burials were found here either, though traces of the medieval foundations were uncovered below the 1 foot mark, so will not be disturbed.
Survey completed in this area.
The north and south aisles were surveyed to a lesser depth, as wall heaters will warm these areas. Like the nave, the areas uncovered in the aisles will be paved in sandstone.
Volunteers gently remove soil in the north aisle. From top to bottom (ho,ho) : Judy and Gerald Hine-Haycock, Charlotte, Ruth Massey and Colin Platt.
Mike Webber gives a presentation to local people to show what the survey has - and has not - revealed.
The Big Mow – Saturday, 1st October 2011
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Harvest Lunch – Sunday, 25th September 2011
Village Fete – Saturday, 23rd July 2011
