At our 2018 Open Afternoon there was an opportunity to look round the new exhibition in the Heritage Centre, curated by Alan Watkins – Churchill and Sarsden in the Great War 1914-1918 – accompanied by delicious tea and scones – and we also organised a SCARECROW WORKSHOP.
We are delighted to report that the target for the roof appeal was reached, and all the work satisfactorily completed in time for the opening of the 2019 season. We would like to thank all the individuals and organisations who donated money and enabled us to achieve this project which ensures that the Heritage Centre is in great condition for the future – and even the bats are happy.
£40,000 ROOF APPEAL to restore the integrity of the roof structure and treat the beetle damage to the internal structural beams
THE PROBLEM
Following the recent winter storms, some of the slates that had become dislodged had to be replaced. The roofer employed to carry out this work discovered that the battens used to attach the slates are completely rotten and need replacement. There is also a considerable amount of beetle damage and splits and defects in the timbers which need to be addressed.
SLATES
The Stonesfield Slates used on the roof are attached with pegs to wooden battens running the length of the roof. These have now started to rot away and the slates are gradually falling off leaving the fabric of the building exposed to the elements. This means the total removal of all existing slates and the replacement of those considered too fragile or broken.
BEETLE DAMAGE
A considerable amount of beetle damage has occurred, as shown in the above photos. Treatment is required to prevent further structural weakening of the timbers.
STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY
Splits and defects in the timbers have been highlighted in the structural engineer’s report and these will require addressing, namely :
• Repair the split in the truss chord by epoxy resin and stainless steel pins • Strap the outer wall plate to the inner wall plate so that the full thickness of the wall is mobilised to resist outward thrust • Positively fix the trusses to the wall plate so that the trusses provide restraint to outward movement of the wall
A large crowd turned up to see the reopening of the Sarsden washpool – the rain mostly held off, refreshments were served, a number of Cotswold sheep took an early bath – and everyone enjoyed themselves. Sheepwashes have long outlived their usefulness but seeing this one in use shows just how dramatically some aspects of rural life have changed over the centuries.
The Sarsden washpool is easily seen from the road In the middle of Churchill village with Chipping Norton behind you and the pub on your right, leave the church on your left and go down the hill – signposted to Sarsden and Merriscourt. The washpool is on the left hand side of the bridge over the Sars Brook at the bottom of the hill.
OPEN AFTERNOON (with tea and scrummy cakes) and a (short) GRAVESTONES WALK (and talk) by Nina Morgan
Nina Morgan, author of The Geology of Oxford Gravestones, and something of an expert on the family life of William Smith (it is she who has transcribed the 52 letters (held at Oxford Nat Hist Museum) between William Smith and his nephew and niece John and Anne Phillips), together with her co-author Philip Powell, gave us a fascinating introduction to the geology of some of our gravestones.
Organised by the Heritage Centre, an enthusiastic group of walkers enjoyed a trail around Churchill and Sarsden on 25th May, discovering some of the village landmarks important to the life of William Smith – including the rare sheep dip.
Led by geologists Geoffrey Walton and Owen Green, the group is seen here visiting Sarsden Quarry where geological features were explaine