Urgent repairs after cracks are found in school hall ceiling

URGENT repairs are to be carried out after large cracks were found in the ceiling of a school hall in Battle on Thursday (April 10).

Cleaners were dusting the ceiling of the Abbot’s Hall in Battle Abbey School when they found several cracks in the 1930s plaster between the timbers.

The discovery of the cracks led to the cancellation of the inaugural Artisans at the Abbey fair, which was due to take place in the hall over the Easter weekend.

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Jo Stewart, property manager at the 1066 Battle Abbey and battlefield, told the Observer: “There are a few superficial cracks, but there are a few that if they are not fixed, the ceiling would probably fall down.

“But they caught it in time.”

She said she believed the school had ‘done the right thing’ by cancelling the fair.

She said: “It’s all precaution.

“Nothing has fallen on anyone.

“It’s been spotted because of routine maintenance.”

It is not yet clear how long the cracks will take to fix.

English Heritage specialists have been drafted in to carry out the repair work to the listed building.

Battle Abbey School pupils are currently enjoying their Easter holidays.

When pupils come back, special precautions will be put in place.

No school events will take place in the hall until the repairs are finished and a scaffold board tunnel will be set up.