Benedictine flooring

Clockwise from top left. With the north side wooden floor complete, the workers have moved onto the south side; the base of the pillar will be finished in tiles - note the ‘floor box’ for sockets; floor box inset with Brampton engineered oak and adjacent air vent to ventilate the floor; handy hangers for the air filtration masks.

The Priory may have the first ever ‘cake powered’ floor.

How so? The Priory was founded by monks of the Benedictine order whose Rule encouraged hospitality, something that the Priory is keen to carry on into the 21st Century. So when Rod announced before the 10.30 service in Malvern College that a cake rota for the floor workers had been suggested, there was a veritable stampede of Priory volunteers to sign up.

Sixteen of the finest cake makers and purchasers immediately filled the rota, each delivering one cake either on a Monday or a Wednesday. It’s been an unexpected highlight for the workers and very gratefully received. ‘Lush’ was the verdict! There’s been coffee cake, carrot cake, apricot cake (that was today’s), Tiffin, Victoria sponge and many others, bringing a regular treat to well earned tea-breaks.

But what of the floor? The wooden flooring on the north side is now complete. The floor boxes, whose lids lift to reveal electrical and tech sockets, have now been fitted with the same ‘Brampton’ plank as the surrounding floor and look beautiful. There are also occasional air vents let into the floor, to ensure that air circulation is maintained.

Tomorrow (12th March) work starts on the timber flooring of the south side. It’s likely to make rapid progress, until the pillars are reached, then it’ll slow down again. The ‘gap’ at the base of the pillars will be finished with tiles.

What will you see if you come and look through the viewing windows in the protective hoarding?
… the new floor (on the right), protected by hardboard whilst the work is carried out.
…the Victorian tiles (which are copies of the Mediaeval tiles) of the central aisle protected beneath black corrugated material, which extends beneath the hoardings.
… the workers making progress on the left (south) side, fixing the solid oak border and the engineered oak planks over the new underfloor heating system, which is embedded in reflective insulation.

…and it’ll probably be quite noisy, too, as boards are trimmed to exact sizes…that’s unless it’s a time for tea and a slice of Benedictine hospitality!