I wonder if you have ever visited the SS Great Britain in Bristol and journeyed into the depths of the hull? As I stood atop the birdcage scaffolding in the church today, my imagination took me back there. Standing under the barrel of our nave roof felt as though I was standing under a 30m long upturned ship.
The medieval oak that makes up the structure of the barrel was given by Richard II in 1390 from the king’s wood, which is the part of Bristol that’s now called Kingswood. It is only in getting so close up to this material, close enough to see the deep grain and heavily chiselled joints, that you can really sense something of its raw strength and power.
The scaffolding structures are now complete which means the contractors can really start in earnest. The roof beams have been inspected by a structural engineer and work to carry out specific timber repairs will start immediately. You can see in the images big rolls of insulation which will end up in the roof cavity and improve our energy efficiency. This is especially important given the recent soar in energy prices. In the subfloor, a mechanical ventilation system has begun to be installed which will push fresh dry air under the floor and help to keep humidity levels down. This will significantly reduce the risk of mould, rot, woodworm and beetle (you may recall we had a significant issue with death watch beetle during the nave aisles and chancel roofing project back in 2018).
I also took the opportunity today to head up to the top of the tower for a bird’s eye view of things. I was struck by the way the cityscape has changed so dramatically in the last two years. We really are at the heart of massive re-development and next in line is 1 Passage Street (the red brick building opposite the central health clinic). You can see the proposals here: https://onepassagestreetconsultation.co.uk/
I’ll share more pictures and news as the project develops.
