Tower Restoration Project

The Church has a very unusual tower with the base of rubble construction followed by brick and the top half of timber construction clad in elm planks topped with a spire clad in shingles.

In 2018 our Architect Nicholas Jacob identified that major work would be required from 2023 on the Tower. An appeal was launched in 2021 with a series of fund raising activities including Craft Fairs, concerts, a Gift Day, donations and two bequests.

In 2023 a bat survey was undertaken and timber bore samples from the tower frame for a dendrochronology analysis which revealed the main timbers for the tower were felled in 1493 and the timber element likely to have been constructed in 1494.

Nicholas Jacob undertook a detailed survey on the Tower to produce a specification which includes a new weather vane, new lightning conductor, new shingles to the spire, lead repairs, strengthening and repairs to the main oak frame, new oak planks, and repointing of the masonry section. The job went out to tender and this was won by Punch Construction of Kelvedon Road Inworth.

Once the building costs were known a series of successful grant applications commenced with funds coming from the FSJ Trust, the Benefact Trust, Colchester Churches Charitable Trust, the Friends of Essex Churches, the Garfield Weston Foundation, the Enovert Community Trust, and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Local donations continued to be made.

An initial lift of the scaffolding was made before Christmas. There have been some delays due to heavy frosts and recently the threats of high winds. The old oak shingles should start being stripped off the spire in the week commencing 27 January.

Due to inflation in building costs the lowest tendering contractors were asked to resubmit their estimate and Punch were still the lowest at £165,018 plus VAT. In addition we have Architect Fees. There have also been a few extras for a scaffold alarm system and additional insurance.

The spire was exposed at the beginning of February and the main work get underway in earnest in the week beginning 3 March

Very successful Hard hat tours were undertaken on morning of Saturday 22 March 2025. Everyone found it interesting and amazed at the size of the timbers and nature of the construction. We are hoping that some further tours can be organised subject to agreement with the contractors. If you might be interested email Andrew Waters  copford43 [at] gmail.com

Photos of the Tower can be seen in Gallery. There are significant repairs required to parts of the frame and some of the decisions on this are still being worked out. The cost implications as at 30 March are not yet known.