Craft Skills Open Day - Wardley

St Botolph's Church, Wardley, Rutland

Take a peek behind the scenes at the on-going conservation work in Wardley.

St Botolph's Church in Wardley, Rutland, was vested into the care of The Churches Conservation Trust in April 2016. Since then, the Trust has been carrying out an extensive programme of conservation and repair on the building, including re-roofing the chancel in distinctive Collyweston slates.

Join CCT and Messenger Construction for a special open day to see behind the scenes of the on-going works and gain an insight into the traditional craft skills used on a project such as this. Enjoy a look around the church (currently closed), take a hard-hat scaffold tour, and see displays and demonstrations of heritage slate and lead working. The informal, drop-in event will run from 11am to 3pm.

One of the most interesting aspects of the conservation work on St Botolph's has been the use of traditional Collyweston slates. This attractive limestone roofing material was once feared to be dying out, but is currently reviving through the commitment of specialist craftsmen. Messenger Construction have worked with English Heritage and Sheffield Hallam University to determine the process for creating ‘new’ Collywestons, using commercial freezers to replicate the splitting process that once occurred when the large limestone slabs were exposed to frost during the winter months.