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Ecclesistical & Heritage World No.98

John Williams & Company - still thriving after over 150 years

0n8002John Williams & Company (familiarly known as JW & Co) is a well-known name in the roofing and slating trades and has been for well over a century. In fact, the firm celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2020.

The date of 1870 as the establishment of the company lies in Whitaker’s Red Book of Business, published in 1907. The entry tells us that JW & Co was established in 1870 especially to transport slate from the Dinorwic slate quarries in North Wales.

Read more: John Williams & Company - still thriving after over 150 years

Restoration of heritage iron and lead windows on site at the Grade II-listed Pro-Cathedral in Bristol

cast iron and lead window repairs pro cathedral bristol

The existing cast iron windows had been left for over 50 years. During this time the paint had deteriorated, glass broken, putty fallen out and some rust jacking of the cast iron members. Due to budget constraints the works were carried out on site.

The frames were cleaned back to a sound surface by hand and the rust treated by Bristol-based Dorothea Restorations. Missing putty was replaced with metal casement putty and the glass replaced where required on a like for like basis. The glass found in the windows was a mixture of crown, cylinder and float.

Read more: Restoration of heritage iron and lead windows on site at the Grade II-listed Pro-Cathedral in...

Streaming service brings the church to all

ScanAudio story1 pic1In an age when technology seamlessly integrates with spirituality, St Elphege’s RC Church in Wallington, Surrey, has taken a significant step forward by partnering with Scanaudio to introduce a state-of-the-art web streaming service. The groundbreaking initiative aims to bridge the physical and digital realms of worship, allowing the congregation to connect with their faith, irrespective of physical presence. The centrepiece of the technological marvel is the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro video switcher and PTZ Optics Z Cam.

Read more: Streaming service brings the church to all

Brian’s gilt-edged brushwork adds lustre to commissions both sacred and temporal

Brian the Brush pic1Pretty much all of us will have passed by commercial properties or visited premises with exquisite signage and wondered at the craftsmanship involved in their creation. In particular, if the work involved gilding the artistry is all the more admirable.

What most of us will not know is that the same artistry involved in the representation of those treasured local names is to be seen in the restoration projects of some of our historic buildings. Those of us who live in the North of England will be particularly familiar with the work of Brian the Brush Ltd – a traditional hand-painting signwriting company based in Yorkshire and Cheshire, but which also serves the whole of the UK.

Read more: Brian’s gilt-edged brushwork adds lustre to commissions both sacred and temporal

Keeping it simple is the watchword for St Ann’s new system

rks article img 1Dating from the 1890s, St Ann’s Church in the Welsh seaside town of Rhyl now boasts thoroughly modern audio-visual systems – both in the church and the church hall – courtesy of Richard King Systems. The facilities now include upgraded sound systems, new audio loop systems, updated AV-projector systems, and comprehensive wi-fi coverage.

Read more: Keeping it simple is the watchword for St Ann’s new system

Sometimes, being a miser can be a good thing

Ecomiser picGreen heating specialist Christopher Dunphy relates how his ChurchEcoMiser system helped one church save energy and money.

When churchwarden Nigel Sprat contacted me about St Mary’s Church in Fordingbridge, situated on the edge of the New Forest, I was delighted to be involved with the programme of upgrading at one of Hampshire’s finest churches.

The church had been heated for the previous 20 or so years by a gas-fired warm air system, but it had come to the end of its life. The warm air system was not entirely suitable as it was giving rapid temperature differentials, which can be detrimental in a church as old as St Mary’s.

Read more: Sometimes, being a miser can be a good thing

Keeping traditional construction skills alive - in Yorkshire

5EMtnbIThe Yorkshire Lime Company is a team of skilled craftsmen specialising in the restoration of heritage and traditional buildings using only locally sourced and often recycled all-natural materials throughout Yorkshire. Adhering to the S.P.A.B approach, the company prioritises necessary repairs, utilising like-for-like local materials and relevant expertise to achieve the highest standards in their work. Their passion for the craft is evident in the dedication that they bring to all their services.

Read more: Keeping traditional construction skills alive - in Yorkshire

Just to be clear: choose your speakers with care

bld article 1Whether you’re a regular member of the congregation or attending a wedding, funeral or some other religious ceremony, there’s nothing more frustrating than having to struggle to understand what is being said. That was brought into sharp focus recently at St Mary the Virgin, in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside – a local church struggling with exactly that sort of sound issue. Complaints of distortion and patchy coverage were common among the congregation, leading to an urgent need for an overhaul of their sound system.

Read more: Just to be clear: choose your speakers with care

Unleashing innovation: ISCVEx 2024 – where sound, communications and visual technologies converge

5X5A2921eCoventry Warwickshire, UK – The Institute of Sound, Communications and Visual Engineers (ISCVE) is delighted to announce the annual return of its acclaimed event, ISCVEx 2024. Scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, 19-20 March 2024 at the Coombe Abbey Hotel, near Coventry, Warwickshire, the event boasts a blend of informative and networking opportunities for industry professionals.

Read more: Unleashing innovation: ISCVEx 2024 – where sound, communications and visual technologies converge

What is a conservation rooflight?

YZUwqtDPaul Trace, director of Stella Rooflight discusses the unique properties of a genuine conservation rooflight.

What is a conservation rooflight?

If you know that you need conservation rooflights for your project, the chances are that you have searched online and found plenty of choice. But what is a conservation rooflight and are they all the same?

Read more: What is a conservation rooflight?

Safeguarding sanctuary: how to control the cost of church security

AceDefence pic1Steve Holland, managing director of Somerset-based Ace Defence Ltd, has been installing church roof alarms for over 10 years. Here he offers some advice on reducing risk while keeping the costs in check.

Talking to a colleague from Ecclesiastical Insurance recently, I learned that metal theft claims have fallen dramatically in recent years. That is in part due to the work of Ecclesiastical in promoting the installation of roof alarms. But with only a small proportion of vulnerable churches protected there is still work to be done. One of the issues is often the cost, but there are ways to save money and sources of funding that can help.

Read more: Safeguarding sanctuary: how to control the cost of church security

New AV system brings added life to services

ScanAudio Story2 pic1In an era characterised by rapid technological advancements it is imperative for places of worship to adapt and evolve to meet the changing needs of their congregations. Putnoe Heights Methodist Church in Bedford has taken a commendable step in that direction by partnering with Scanaudio to install the NEC PA703W projector and Kramer VP-440X video switcher – ushering in a new era of multimedia capabilities that promise to enhance the worship experience for all.

Read more: New AV system brings added life to services

Cathedral glaziers remove 145-year-old Pre-Raphaelite stained glass window for restoration

CU of Burne Jones Angeli Ministrantes in the workshop the glass around the edge is so called sacrifical glass used when fixing the window and not part of the window photo Finnbarr Webster photo GSalisbury Cathedral’s stained glass team led by Sam Kelly, head glazier and conservator, have begun the painstaking process of removing a 19th century window designed by the Pre-Raphaelite artist Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones and designer and craftsman William Morris, 145 years after it was first installed.

Featuring two huge figurative designs - Angeli Ministrantes (Angels Ministering) and Angeli Laudantes (Angels Praising) by Burne-Jones - that sit within Morris’s elaborate acanthus leaf design that reflects the medieval grisaille or grey painted windows elsewhere in the Cathedral, the windows were not well received by the Cathedral’s clergy at the time and what should have been a series of windows by the Pre-Raphaelite duo stopped at one.

Read more: Cathedral glaziers remove 145-year-old Pre-Raphaelite stained glass window for restoration

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