New roof for medieval All Saints Church in Lindfield

Work will begin to fix the leaking roof of Grade II* listed All Saints Church in Lindfield after heritage specialist Pilbeam Construction was asked to step in.

A structural survey revealed repairs were needed to the medieval timber framed building, which houses The Tiger office, church office and provides space for youth groups.

This vital work will future proof the historic building, known locally as The Tiger, which is one of the oldest buildings in the West Sussex village and was originally an open hall house built around 1400.

Pilbeam Construction managing director Alan Corbett said: “It’s a real privilege to work on this landmark building again. As a local Sussex contractor our team love making a difference to their local community.

“Our roofers have hands-on experience working with Horsham stone, while our carpenters have a deep understanding of how complex historic cut and pitch roofs are constructed. This work will protect this important community asset for years to come.

“Horsham Stone is not readily available due to the closure of the historic quarries so we will need to reuse what we can and source more.”

The £300,000 project is set to kick off on 23 February and will take around five months to complete.

Specialist work will include repairing junctions and rebuilding features which will reduce the risk of future problems. 

Sussex contractor Pilbeam will build a temporary roof, then take up existing clay tiles, battens and set aside any salvageable tiles for reuse.

Heritage specialists will then remove the existing Horsham stone, shadow slates and battens and set these aside for reuse, then remove redundant flues and repoint chimneys.

New battens and felt will be introduced, together with new lead valleys and flashings, barge boards, cast iron guttering and downpipes, as well as installing insulation over the kitchen.

The Horsham Stone will then be re-bedded on a lime-rich hot mix and reinstatement of the clay tiles will follow.

Exterior refurbishment work will include repairs to the facades including the west facing wall.

Ashley Bence, facilities manager at All Saints said: “We’re very happy to welcome Pilbeam back to the church to carry out these essential works.

“The project will be carried out under a bat licence following ecological surveys that identified protected species in the roof space, with an ecologist on site throughout the roof-stripping process.

“To ensure the work is carried out safely, a temporary road closure will be required while the scaffold and temporary roof are put up, and a section of the footpath will be closed during the works. We appreciate the community’s understanding while these important repairs are completed.”

Other partners in the scheme include quantity surveyor Phil King from MBM Consulting Ltd, structural engineers The Moreton Partnership, Bosence Associates and Sally-Ann Hurry of Mountfield Ecology on the scheme.

Chartered building company Pilbeam Construction, which is based in Southwick, West Sussex, previously installed underfloor heating at The Tiger, a technique which preserves interiors of heritage buildings, but also keeps them warm for modern day use. 

For more information please go to: https://www.pilbeamconstruction.co.uk/