St. Mary’s at East Barkwith, near Wragby in Lincolnshire is a fine medieval church with extensive 19th century restorations. The masonry is mainly locally quarried ironstone green and sandstone, with finer dressed stone coming from Ancaster. The roofs are of green and blue Westmorland slate except for the tower roof which is of lead. The condition of the building fabric had been deteriorating for many years. The tower pinnacles and parapet had become unstable and some time ago had been taken down for safe-keeping. The roof had several leaks and flashings, parapet gutters and cast iron rainwater goods as well as the drains were all in various states of disrepair.
In 2011 Skillingtons won by competitive tender an English Heritage grant-aided repair contract involving complete re-slating; overhaul of the beadwork, rainwater goods and drains; and masonry repairs not only to the body of the church at high level but also to the tower.
The slating involved re-use of as many of the existing slates as possible, using new Westmorlands to make up the shortfall. Much of the parapet ashlar had to be renewed (in Great Tew stone), whereas the pinnacles and copings could be repaired using Ancaster Hard White indents. The repair contract commenced in late 2012 and completed in the summer of 2013.
Contract value range: Approximately £135K
Client: East Barkwith PCC
Architect: Graham P. Cook
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