ROOF APPEAL

We are delighted to report that the target for the roof appeal was reached, and all the work satisfactorily completed in time for the opening of the 2019 season.
We would like to thank all the individuals and organisations who donated money and enabled us to achieve this project which ensures that the Heritage Centre is in great condition for the future – and even the bats are happy.

£40,000 ROOF APPEAL
to restore the integrity of the roof structure and
treat the beetle damage to the internal structural beams

THE PROBLEM

Following the recent winter storms, some of the slates that had become dislodged had to be replaced.  The roofer employed to carry out this work discovered that the battens used to attach the slates are completely rotten and need replacement.  There is also a considerable amount of beetle damage and splits and defects in the timbers which need to be addressed.

SLATES

roof repairs

The Stonesfield Slates used on the roof are attached with pegs to wooden battens running the length of the roof. These have now started to rot away and the slates are gradually falling off leaving the fabric of the building exposed to the elements. This means the total removal of all existing slates and the replacement of those considered too fragile or broken.

BEETLE DAMAGE

timber repairs

A considerable amount of beetle damage has occurred, as shown in the above photos. Treatment is required to prevent further structural weakening of the timbers.

STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY

Splits and defects in the timbers have been highlighted in the structural engineer’s report and these will require addressing, namely :

•    Repair the split in the truss chord by epoxy resin and stainless steel pins
•    Strap the outer wall plate to the inner wall plate so that the full thickness of the wall is mobilised to resist outward thrust
•    Positively fix the trusses to the wall plate so that the trusses provide restraint to outward movement of the wall 

DRAFT BUDGET £
Strip, dress & re-tile roof 24,500
Redecorate interior 1,500
Bat nest preservation protection 500
Wood treatment 500
Scaffolding  800
Project management [5%] 1,390
Contingency [10%] 2,919
VAT  6,420
TOTAL £38,529

We have been working on a new exhibition for some time – the Heritage Centre has always boasted of its four important ‘sons’ but now it is time for the women of the village to be celebrated.  Each in her own way has changed lives both in Churchill and in the wider world.

OUR Four remarkable women

 Elizabeth Bourne (1549-1599)
Who controversially petitioned for divorce from her philandering husband and left letters which are now considered a most significant and valuable historical source of early modern literature and inform a greater understanding of women’s negotiations for legal autonomy in the sixteenth century.
A seventeenth-century eccentric

Anne Walter (Unknown – 1707)
Who lived in fear of being murdered but left a trust which is still providing grants for education purposes.
A nineteenth-century grocer

Emily Jennings (1814-1885)
Whose legacy launched a village charity.
A twentieth-century High Sheriff

Judy Hutchinson (1916-1989)
Whose secret war work has never been fully acknowledged.

From Our Guest Book

  • "Beautiful setting, very peaceful & informative"

  • "Why haven't we been here earlier? We shall certainly return!"

  • "A fascinating visit. William Smith was a wonderful man! "

  • "Very good new interactive displays, very comprehensive."

  • "Great building, well restored. Charming!"

  • "Such a wonderful enterprise. The locality should be proud of it."

  • "A fascinating display in a very beautiful setting."

  • "Excellent to have this centre as a focus for Churchill's history - especially in relation to William Smith."

  • "Congratulations to all on this initiative.  So well-organised and user-friendly."

  • "Lovely spot, so grateful this part of the old church was saved."

  • "A little gem I didn't know existed."

  • "A fine chance discovery"

  • "Fantastic, absolutely first class. Most interesting and informative."

  • "What a lovely treat to stumble upon. Thank you for preserving a part of our Heritage"

  • "Beautiful restoration, very nicely done! Unexpected hive of information."