Proposed Works to the Church

Proposed Works to the Church

As people attending Mass at St Trea’s might have noticed, there is a problem with dampness in the walls which shows itself as crumbling plaster and peeling paintwork.

Most problems of damp in pre-1920's buildings, like our church, have been caused since the war, when cement and gypsum plaster became widely available. Coatings like this, designed to seal the surface of masonry walls (and so ‘protect’ them) trap moisture behind the coating and cause a damp problem elsewhere, such as on the other side of the wall. If there are appreciable salts in the wall, damage caused by inappropriate use of coatings can be dramatic . Coatings themselves - cement renders, gypsum plasters, plastic emulsion paints - will eventually be forced off the wall.

On a number of occasions, we have tried to treat the walls to address dampness, without success. So we sought advice from the architects who are experts in the conservation of historic buildings and are currently managing the refurbishment of St Patrick’s Church at The Loup. They have advised us to undertake a number of surveys so we can understand what needs to be done and what it will cost. The most likely outcome will be to re-plaster the church inside and out with lime plaster which will allow the walls to "breathe”.

We can’t proceed with any works until the Archdiocese agrees and this may take a bit of time. In the meantime, we will keep you up to date with progress and would welcome your thoughts either via e mail to the Parish e mail address newbridgechurch@googlemail.com or by having a chat with Fr Fox or other parish volunteers.