Progress inside and out

Week 4 – report of work for disabled access, toilet and kitchen

This week has seen progress both inside and outside of the church. The following has been achieved within the last week:

✔ A connection to the existing water pipe was made in the trench outside, by first isolating the supply at the stop tap in the road.

✔ A new stop tap was positioned where the blue water pipe emerged through the hole in the wall, and above ground level in the toilet area.

✔ An inspection chamber was concreted and installed in the trench above the gas pipe. The ground was filled in around it, leaving just the lid of the inspection chamber visible. The trench arch will be eventually excavated from this position for a
length of 15 metres downhill, passing under the gravel path towards the yew tree. A mechanical digger will be used.

✔ The associated pipes and bends from the back of the toilet and basins was arranged in the corner of the toilet area. Type 1 (gravel) was tipped in the hole with some of the original spoil to a level 100mm below finished inside floor level.
Limecrete will be laid to bring the final level up to 25mm below floor level to enable the floor tiles to be relocated.

✔ Following a second visit from the archaeologist on Monday, more bone specimens were inspected as well as the ancient trench that was discovered in the lift well at the end of last week. Seemingly, it is of no great significance, and so the
ground in the lift area continued to be excavated to a depth of 30cm below the existing threshold tiled floor level and tube covered with a geotextile fabric. More Type 1 was then barrowed and tipped in bringing the level up to 21cm below final
floor level. The gravel was compacted with a vibrating plate, before covering with 12 cm of limecrete.

✔ The walls and ceiling of the toilet cubicle were clad with two layers of plasterboard, but the cavity left for the electrician to do a first fit of the wires and trunking that will happen on 13 April.

✔ The font is to be repositioned adjacent to the column by the new kitchen. The holy water from the font usually exits down into the ground after a christening. However, to save digging a new hole in the church floor, it has been decided to
close off the plug hole in the font and insert a bowl for holding the christening water. Following the service, the water will be scattered in the church grounds.

✔ Derek, with John in his workshop have made good progress during the week, where they are making a new set of oak gates for the re-designed north entrance.

The main entrance to the north of the church will be closed from Tuesday, 5th April until further notice, due to ground works starting for the new re-designed disabled ramp.

Access to the church and grounds will be possible via the west entrance adjacent to the Old Parsonage, as well as the two small footpath gates.

John Pinch
2 April 2022