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Fairwarp Community Society

Christ Church Stonework

Updated: Nov 9, 2020

It's common knowledge that until 1936 Christ Church was a simple, modest Victorian building without tower or spire. Then in 1935 the residents of Oldlands Hall, the wealthy Eckstein family, decided that Christ Church needed a revamp.


The original chancel (East End) was demolished, and a larger chancel constructed, with the outstanding feature of the remodelled church being its massive tower. Impressive it is, but an architectural inspection in 2018 showed that the higher you went up it, the worse the condition of the mortar became.


Only a total repointing job would be sufficient. Looking around for local craftsmen, the PCC found Wayne Holford, born and bred in Fairwarp. Local contractor James Mann was employed to provide complete scaffolding for the whole building. While lockdown kept many away from work, Wayne and his colleague Andy were able to work safely and socially distanced; and in the brilliant May weather were able to complete the work within schedule.


Sandstone needs lime mortar, and in places where the mortar had disappeared and stones had become damaged, a kind of 'stitching' was used to bind the structure together. It was a work of great craftsmanship, and the church building should be safe now for a generation.

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