Brede church roof as good as new after £67K refurbishment

St George’s Church has been covered in scaffolding as much-needed repairs to the roof, porch, leadwork, gutters and downpipes were carried out.

But work at the 800-year-old, grade I listed building has been completed thanks mostly to a £67,400 grant from the Listed Places of Worship Roof Scheme.

Rev Martin Harper said although there was some disruption caused by the works, the outcome is worthwhile as it is now dry.

“It’s looking very good indeed as it was needed and it’s good to see it done,” he said.

“We had our first wedding of the season and had scaffolding down, the builders have worked very well and have been obliging when he had funerals.”

The poor state of the roof was revealed in a survey, in particular on the north side, where tiles had flaked and split with the potential to fall off. They were replaced with hand-made tiles.

Special ‘bat-friendly’ tiles were also installed after two surveys showed many bats flying around outside the church but none nesting in the roof. The tiles will allow the bats to access to tiny spaces between the tiles and the underlay without damaging it.

The rainwater drainage system was also in a bad condition, with missing bits of guttering and inadequate down-pipes, meaning water was soaking through the walls and damaging the inside the building.

Mr Harper said ‘80 to 90 per cent’ of the project’s cost came from the roof scheme but £3,000 was donated by Friends of St George’s Church as well as some through fund-raising and the church’s maintenance fund.

Fortunately the works went to plan and no problems were found meaning there were no expected costs.

But this is not the end as the reverend has more plans for the church as he said a building as old as St George’s is always in need of repair.

“Now we go on to next phase, I want to replace timbers in the floor and it would be lovely to get the interior redecorated,” he said.

“A building of this age constantly needs work being done and it has to be maintained by us, we’re just a small village and its beyond our capability to so.”

For more information about the church visit: www.stgeorgesbrede.org.uk.

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