Property Plan

In March 2008 the north boundary wall, having stood we think since 1823, succumbed to the poor drainage and lime mortar used in its construction. Quotes for rebuilding it lasted over 6 months, started at 65,000 euros and have finished at under 30,000 euros. This process has taken so long that we decided to co-ordinate the rebuild with the creation of the new garden this summer.

In early summer of 2008 we embarked on the mammoth task of bringing the electrical supply and fittings in the church and parsonage into the twenty-first century. This hasinvolved laying new cables in from the road, under the cobbles and into church and parsonage, upgrading the supply, replacing distribution boards, making cable runs in the foundations and attic of the church and modernizing lights and switches. The work has taken nearly a year and most of it is invisible, underground or hidden away, with only the new lights in the gallery and a few modern fittings to show for the considerable effort and outlay.

One fundamental principle of the plan was to create a self-contained apartment on the first floor for the chaplain, the joint use of the ground floor, particularly the kitchen, having been a bone of contention between chaplains and councils probably ever since the parsonage was built 80 years ago. On the ground floor a wall with an interconnecting door has been put up in the corridor to isolate the apartment from the rest of the ground floor, a kitchen has been installed in one of the bedrooms and the first floor bathrooms have been completely refurbished with new sanitaryware and fully tiled floor and walls.

The other fundamental principle was the complete refurbishment of the library, a room which has long looked shabby and depressing, and the conversion of the existing equally shabby adjoining corridor and toilet into a new office and disabled toilet. These works are now complete. The new toilet is equipped for wheelchairs and the council secretary has already taken over the office!

The new room - perversely referred to as "The Old Library"! - library now looks so pristine that the council unanimously agreed that bringing the old bookcases back into it would spoil it, and in any event the use of a formal library has diminished in recent years rendering the return of all the books somewhat pointless. So the ground floor dining-room has been converted into a reading room much smaller in size with bookcases similar in design to the old ones but custom-built to fit the room, of simpler style and in lighter wood. We have named this room "The Ranalow Room" in recognition of John Ranalow, whose generous legacy has enabled us to carry out all of the works over the last three years without having to dip into our reserve funds.

With the displacement of the chaplain to the first floor, the ground floor kitchen is ready for refurbishment, has been completely refurbished and equipped with a new electric hob, commercial sized oven and a commercial dishwasher to enable us to offer the room to support weddings, christenings and other functions involving large numbers. The new kitchen has already proved its worth at the spring fair, and the commercial dishwasher makes washing up after our Sunday morning receptions a positive joy!