Building Projects

The cost of maintaining a victorian grade A listed building is considerable and in recent years a lot of effort has gone into preserving the building.

The exterior stonework of the church was in very poor condition and roughly £1.3 million was spent restoring it in the late 1990s. You can browse a copy of the Stonework Restoration Leaflet.

An extract from St Mark's Magazine (The Lion) of October 1996 giving details of the Heritage Lottery Fund grant.

Currently work is being carried out to replace the old inefficient heating system, restore the Compton organ and provide disabled facilities. You can browse a copy of the Heating and Refurbishment Appeal 2003/4 leaflet.

Heating & Refurbishment Photo Gallery #1 02/08/2004

Below are some photos of the work in progress. The choir vestry has had its roof replaced due to dry rot and the access is being altered to make room for the new disabled toilet. An interior wall is being removed to give the choir more room. The old oil tank and boiler have been removed and new gas boilers are being fitted. The cage around the boiler house steps is being replaced with one which blends in with the architecture and the modern doors in the two porches are due to be replaced with glass for draught proofing and to reveal Butterfield's original design. New heating pipes are being fitted in the central nave aisle which will feed new emitters under the pews. The choir are presently using the side chapel in the south transept as a robing area.

boilerhousecage.jpg	choirvestryext1.jpg	choirvestryext2.jpg	navepipes.jpg	navepipes2.jpg
newboilers.jpg	newboilers2.jpg	northporch.jpg	oiltankposition.jpg	southporch.jpg
southtransept.jpg

Heating & Refurbishment Photo Gallery #2 07/09/2004

choirvestryexter...	choirvestryinter...	choirvestryinter...	choirvestryinter...	controlpanel.jpg	heatingpipes.jpg
newcorridor1.jpg	newcorridor2.jpg	newcorridor3.jpg	newgasboilers.jpg	newgasboilers1.jpg	newpewheaters1.jpg
newpewheaters2.jpg	newtoilet&corrid...	newtoiletcorrido...

Compton Organ Refurbishment Photo Gallery #1 02/08/2004

Below are some photos of the work in progress. The console and chambers have been rewired with a new processor based control system. All the chests and bellows have beem removed for cleaning and releathering. The electric blower has been disconnected in the boiler house during the main building work and it has been discovered that the large zinc wind trunk which carries the wind up to the chambers is decayed and will need replaced. The water tank and heating pipes are also to be removed at the chamber level. The louvre shutters on the roof of the organ chambers have been cleaned probably for the first time in 70 years and the decayed linen sheets removed for better egress of sound. The largest pipe in the organ (16ft) had to be repaired and is shown on its side with a chest opened for releathering. A Tuba stop has been donated and this is to be installed high up at the west end of the church behind one of the small doors to the bellringing room.

basspipes.jpg	blowerwrapped.jpg	blowerwrapped2.jpg	chest+solderedpi...	consoleelectrics...
organtrunk1.jpg	organtrunk2.jpg	organtrunk3.jpg	organtrunkcupboa...	pipedriverboards...
shutters1.jpg	shutters2.jpg	tubadoors.jpg	tubapipes.jpg	watertank.jpg
woodwindtrunk.jpg

Compton Organ Refurbishment Photo Gallery #2 07/09/2004

diaphonechest.jpg	pipesinclergyves...	pipesintransept.jpg	swellchamberclea...	windtrunkinboile...