Renovation Update: March 2023
Since the new year, work at the Chapel has been accelerating.
The double entrance in the front wall has been very carefully re-positioned and widened to increase access for limited car parking.
As the wall is part of the Chapel’s Grade II listing, all removed stones were laid in their rows on the ground and selected so that the old entrance could be infilled to match adjoining layers. The coping stones were replaced with none cut. The gates are being extended to fit the new wider entrance.
At the rear of the Chapel, the new cast iron guttering has at last arrived and been installed, enabling the scaffolding to be removed, which in turn enabled the last bit of excavation (with Peak District National Park Authority archaeological oversight) in order to complete external access for the new toilet, and lay drainage and soak-away routes.
The adjacent stone walls are now being completed, a door is being fitted, and after that the interior work on the off-shot toilet can finally start!
Inside the Chapel, the urgent underfloor repairs and replacements to joists have been completed, and sheep wool insulation laid onto mesh between the joists. This is amazingly dense, and the Chapel is already warmer, though it does smell of sheep!
New electrical wiring has been laid throughout the Chapel, including underfloor, and the floorboards should be laid very soon. A protective chipboard layer will protect them during the rest of the decoration work.
Currently, concern over the stability of the ceiling plaster, which may well have separated from the lathes in places, means that we will almost certainly have to ‘under draw’ the existing ceiling, with wood fibre insulation board, to eliminate the risk of plaster falling on Chapel users. This, of course, will add to the redecoration costs.
We very much hope that the Chapel will be properly in use again soon, and we look forward to welcoming you all again.
Funding
We are now looking for additional funding to cover the emergency works, while planning and fundraising for the Stage 3 part of the project which is more focused on enabling activities in the Chapel and its garden area. This has a separate budget for equipment, sustainable heating, displays and workshop activities.
We have been greatly cheered by all the positive responses and offers to help with activities locally, as well as much enthusiasm from walkers and visitors to the valley.