We’re pleased to say the the majority of our repairs project is now complete. Our completely rebuilt clerestory windows are now finished, and and the new rainwater downpipes are gradually appearing along the nave. What you can’t see is the new rainwater drainage system which is safely tucked away underground. The patches of new tarmac on the churchyard path show where two of our new rainwater soakaways have been installed.

The project is scheduled to be finished in August, and work will continue in the chancel until then. The rood screen remains underneath a protective box; we don’t want it to get damaged during the work! The organ is also wrapped up until we can be sure all the dust has settled.

Fantastic news for villagers is that the path through the churchyard is now re-opened, but as the work inside the building continues, the church remains closed to visitors, though we will soon reopen the church for Sunday services.

On Sunday 11th August at 10:30am there will be a service of celebration with the Bishop of Lynn, and this will be followed by a garden party in the churchyard – all are welcome.

It’s amazing just how fast a team of scaffolders can work! In the space of two days, the vast majority of the scaffolding in church has come down. The picture below is from yesterday evening, but already the church looks very different again.

As someone who’s had the privilege to ascend the scaffolding on many occasions to look at the angels and ponder, it’s been quite sad to see the scaffolding disappearing. It represents the end of a major phase of the project, and the conclusion of an amazing opportunity to spend time up there.

But it’s all hands on deck now, as we get the church ready for a very important memorial service on Saturday. That doesn’t mean the project is finished – far from it – but it does mean that we are getting close to being able to have our Sunday worship back in church. Alas, it will be a little while longer before the church is open to visitors again, but watch this space for updates.

It seems like a long time since the roof of the church was last visible from the floor of the nave. Our extensive repairs have required comprehensive scaffolding, and that scaffolding has given us a precious period of close access to the angel roof. Since just after Christmas 2018, a full deck of boards has created a false floor at the level of the hammer beams. Today, though, the boards have come up. Our resident bats need to spread their wings again, so the scaffolding has to come out; starting with the top level of boards. There’s still work to do on the windows, but that can be done from the scaffolding that remains. And so this was the view this evening, as the roof was revealed to us once more.