"The present phase of renovation has now come to an end. The most urgent work has been done, and well done to roof, gutters, down-pipes and beams and the church has been saved from the damp and decay which were slowly destroying it. For a great deal of the work done and money expended there is little to show. A stranger would notice the new gutters and pipes, but the extensive repairs to the roof might not pass unnoticed; and if he went into the church he would not realise that the ends of all the aisle roof-trusses had been cut off and removed in a badly-rotted condition and new ones scarfed in to replace them, soaked in fungus poison and solidly encased in copper. They still have to go into the wall, owing to the defective design of the building, but the treatment they h a v e received should make them last for many years, even if the walls do get saturated with damp again, which we hope now to prevent.

We were fortunate in that our contractors had supplies of copper in hand, for the price has recently soared to exorbitant heights; but though we were saved this expense, the last period of work has been costly, and when the final accounts for it to architect and builder have been paid there will be very little left in our Renovation Fund. Other urgent work - but not so immediately urgent as that which has now been completed - will have to wait until we have again built up some financial reserves. It is very gratifying to note that, though no special appeal was made last year, money came in very steadily through the quiet, unspectacular but effective efforts of many individuals and groups.

If we can go quietly on in this way in the years ahead, the task which sometimes seems immensely formidable will gradually be accomplished. So please everyone do not slacken in your support of the Fund! There is much yet to be done - interior and exterior pointing, the overhaul of the clock, replacement of decayed stonework, renewal of electric- wiring, and so on - and after this, which is just the necessary making-good of the damage of the
years, we should like to go on to improvements of various kinds: that is still far in the future - but we shall do it in time!

Source: The Spire Magazine - 1955 March

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