Historic Churches 2021

BCD SPECIAL REPORT ON HISTORIC CHURCHES 28 TH ANNUAL EDITION 21 lock would usually have a varnished oak casing embellished with hand forged detailing, the degree of embellishment varying according to the status and age of the church. At the same time simple strap hinges were often replaced with large ornate cast hinges that spread across the front of the door, and ring pull handles or gothic style Suffolk latches were introduced along with door studs and sometimes even knockers. The locks would have been entirely handmade from a variety of materials, including wrought iron, blacksmith’s steel and brass, all with a single lever inside. The keys too were handmade, with various cuts on the key blanks to pass the individual wardings found inside the lock. While the door furniture and fittings are clearly extremely important to the security of the building, it is important not to overlook the importance of the keys themselves. Among the many problems faced by churchwardens are loss of keys, issuing keys and getting new keys cut. Due to the nature of the rim lock, church keys are large, heavy and often ornate, and off-the-shelf replacements are not readily available. One of the problems we see regularly at Mid Beds Locksmiths (MBL) is damage caused by poor replacement keys. This may be because they were cut to match a worn key, or because they were made with modern steel blanks which don’t quite match the originals in either gauge or size. Over time these keys actually wear down the internal mechanism of the lock, causing it to fail. This can happen suddenly, and whether the door is in the locked position or open, the implications can be disastrous. Without exception, it is always better to have a new key cut to fit the lock rather than copy an old key. A sure sign of a looming problem is a key which has a lot of movement. If it moves up and down and side to side when it is in the keyhole, then it is either worn or not the correct size. Along with the rim lock and hand-forged latches you may also find large cast-iron surface mounted shoot bolts which are fitted either top and bottom of the inactive leaf on double door sets or horizontally top and bottom on single door sets. On old church doors these can either be ornate or incredibly simple, but both give a good amount of security if in working condition. MAINTENANCE Unfortunately, the conservation, care and maintenance of door furniture are often the last things on anyone’s priority list, mainly due to the fact little is known of their history, development and significance. Locks and other door furniture should, however, be included in the quinquennial inspections as they have an especially important role in the fabric of the building. When carrying out an inspection, some of the signs to look out for should include wear on the keys, such as deep groves on the nose of the gauge, either side of the bit, and on the shank. Check for any slack when the key is in the keyhole, or if the round bit of the keyhole looks more oval than round. If you are having problems turning the key or you find there is a certain knack in getting it to lock, then it would be beneficial to have a specialist look at it. Common conservation work and repairs that locksmiths carry out on a regular basis include manufacturing new keys to the correct gauge, repairing worn internal collars and levers, treating for rust damage, tightening up loose pins found in the mechanism of the lock, and greasing moving parts. Lubrication is also an important element of routine maintenance to prevent rust build up and to keep the internal mechanism moving smoothly, especially if the door is exposed to the elements. Regular oiling with a light oil such as 3 in 1 or WD40 is recommended. Do not use graphite paste or heavy oils as these can collect dirt and dust creating an Cuts missing Worn gauge BOW SHANK Side warding cuts on either side of the bit Bridge warding cuts in the centre COLLAR PIN BIT GAUGE NOSE A well maintained and cut key: you can see the gauge is not severely worn, the side and bridge warded cuts are still present and there is more material on the bit adding better support. (The bit is the flat part of the key which passes through the ward when the key is turned.) An example of a poorly cut key – we found this one had all the internal cuts removed and the gauge was incorrect. It was severely wearing the lock. Replacement keys: from the left, keys one and three are the originals and have been repaired with brass where they had broken; keys two and four are new ones made by MBL using stronger blanks.