Work begins

With the Priory cleared and the site, otherwise known as the nave, securely boarded to protect visitors and worshippers, work could, at long last, begin.

The workers proceeded at a cracking pace, lifting the heavily nailed pine floorboards. Those who are floorboard enthusiasts may be interested to know that the Priory floorboards pre-date tongue-and-groove boards. Each board is was joined to the next with a thin strip of iron, which prevented drafts from whistling upwards. Thus the congregations from the 1860s until December 2023 were kept relatively snug and warm.

By Monday both sides of the nave had been cleared of floorboards, ready for work to remove the joists.

The Victorian tiles and ledger stones are currently hidden, protected beneath specialist sheeting.

Thank you to all the individual donors and charitable trusts who are enabling this work to happen.

Do pop into the Priory and see the progress during normal Priory opening hours.