34 BCD SPECIAL REPORT ON HISTORIC CHURCHES 31st ANNUAL EDITION architects Acanthus Holden for the DIO. The survey identified several issues associated with damp ingress into the body of the Chapel, both through the roof and external walls. In particular, it was found that in the Lambton rebuild, new roofing slates had been bedded in sand/cement, rather than the lime mortar traditionally used. This had caused damp ingress across the whole area of the ceiling. The damp was worst at the east and west ends where gable upstands were exposed to the elements. Evidence suggested that the medieval roof finishes may have been at a higher level, covering the gable walls. The walls were generally sound, but all 20th-century repointing had been carried out in a hard cement/sand mortar. This, combined with the poor quality of infill masonry used to block up the openings in the east elevation, the lack of heating, and the poor ventilation of the interior had caused damp ingress, damaging the interior plasterwork. The chapel sits within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, and the support of their conservation team was paramount. Following listed building consent, repairs were carried out in 2020 and ’21 to the specification of Acanthus Holden, under the management of the DIO, and with the help of a grant from MOD’s Conservation Stewardship Fund. The first phase had to be carried out in just four weeks of August 2020, as live firing recommenced on 1 September. This included reslating the main roof, renewal of the flashings, addition of a coping to protect the gables and repairs to the bell tower. To reduce damp tracking into the vaulted masonry below, and to speed up construction, the slates were nailed to battens on a sand/cement bed with a breathable felt, tail bedded in an NHL 3.5 mortar. Concrete copings were used on the gables as these are a typical feature along the north Pembrokeshire coast. Argentine Riverstone slates were used to provide a suitable match for the existing slates which may have been sourced from one of the midPembrokeshire quarries. As the existing slates had been graded to size, three sizes of new slates were used with a varied lap to create the impression of the original’s diminishing courses. The second phase was carried out over five weeks in the following summer. It included the removal of the sand/ cement pointing and repointing all external masonry with a breathable lime mortar, the application of a lime shelter coat to the west wall for extra protection (it faces the sea), the renewal of the cast iron rainwater goods and repair of the ground drainage channels. Interior works included improvements to the natural ventilation, repairs to the internal plasterwork, and redecoration using Keim Optil breathable paint. Following completion, church services are now held there occasionally, and the public has access on weekends. ‘Seeing the chapel restored to its former glory is extremely satisfying,’ says Kathryn Sayner, one of the DIO’s conservation team. ‘It means it can continue to be an asset for the local community to enjoy for years to come.’ BRITANNIA ROYAL NAVAL COLLEGE CHAPEL, DARTMOUTH Churches and chapels built specifically for a military unit take many forms. At the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, the chapel was designed as part of the wider college estate by Sir Aston Webb and completed 1905. Longitudinal timbers join the tie-beam truss roof of this chapel. It has a four-bay nave and vestigial aisles. The chancel roof is barrel-vaulted with a transverse, roundheaded stone arch. On the eastern side, the window is five-light traceried while the The nave of Britannia Royal Naval College Chapel, Dartmouth (Photo: DIO, Crown copyright)
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