Historic Churches 2023

BCD SPECIAL REPORT ON H ISTOR I C CHURCHE S 30th ANNUAL ED ITION 27 Left, missing putty and an exposed bronze pin; and right, airgun damage to the lower left quarry and possible stone damage above (Photos: Holywell Glass) Left, the loss of weatherproofing putty; and right, the corrosion of the steel core is visible on many of the lead cames (Photos: Holywell Glass) The central window of the south wall with the Lady of the Lake At clerestory level in the main hall a series of 18 windows depict ‘the Virtues’. Another point of interest described by Holywell Glass is the glass paint vigorously applied by mixing oil and water mediums which are allowed to separate when drying before firing, thus creating a very unusual marbled effect. This must have been ground-breaking for the time. The outer corridor, skirting the hall, has windows dedicated to the Knights of the Round Table, with heraldic devices in the centre. The glass is again superb, with extensive use of streaky slab glass, and marbled paint effects. King Arthur’s great halls face the Atlantic ocean and it is remarkable that these windows and the building have lasted nearly 100 years without repair. This is a testament to Veronica Whall’s use of quality materials and her skills in glass firing and design. However, by 2020 it had become apparent that there are issues to address, particularly on the south elevation facing the sea. Structurally the windows are not in good condition. The clerestory windows are divided into three distinct panels by two vertical bronze T-bars into which the panels are set with linseed oil putty, and the larger central panel is also fixed to two vertical tie bars by copper ties. At the perimeter, the leaded panels are set into the masonry with hard Portland cement- based mortar. The main windows have a substantial supporting framework of bronze T-bars into which the leaded stained glass panels are fixed with linseed oil putty. On the south elevation, bronze pins have been used to fix the panels into the masonry perimeter. Many of these windows are no longer weather-tight and there is some streaking on the glass indicating the waterproofing lead light cement is beginning to fail. The lead cames were reinforced with a steel core which has started to corrode, and the putty between the bronze T bars and the glazed panes has failed in many places. The southern elevation is more exposed to heavy weather and is generally in worse condition. Fortunately, the glass itself is considered to be well-fired and in good condition apart from isolated cracks and holes in the glass caused by air rifle pellets. Work is underway to raise funds to restore these windows and the building as a whole. JEREMY CHADBURN is an accredited conservation architect based in Launceston, Cornwall (www. chadburnconservationarchitect.com)