September / October 2009
Repairs were carried out to the exterior walls and harmful cement mortar incorrectly applied previously was carefully removed and a lime mortar and lime wash finish was applied, vegetation removed from the stonework and in filling around the exposed door to the chapel. On completion of repairs to the front facing wall, Blunt Construction Ltd handed over on 28th October.
On 29th October 2009 a meeting was held with South West Hampshire Lift, Osborne construction, the SCC Conservation Officer and NHS Southampton City to discuss the next stage and a list of target dates to prepare design drawings, listed building repairs consent application and a change of use application to the council planners.
Mr Kevin Liles, formerly Director Operations NHS Southampton City Trust and now our President formed the vision to bring the chapel into community use and has encouraged and supported the founding of our charity the Friends of RSH Hospital Chapel and continues in his support. [image courtesy Arthur Jeffery]
A neglected leaking roof caused water to soak into the lime plaster which will need to be taken back to the underlying wall and replastered. Then some well meaning person coated the walls thickly with plasticised vinyl paint and the water in the brickwork was unable to evaporate naturally as the Victorians intended through a limewash surface coating. This has caused the vinyl paint to blister as the trapped moisture attempts to reach the surface of the wall. As soon as possible we have to remove the vinyl paint as wetted bricks underneath are deteriorating. We see it as essential that air be circulated within the chapel [and the crypt below] to ensure that moisture [condensation] does not gather on the walls. Note the slightly lemon coloured parts of the upper walls which are lime washed and the whiter finish is vinyl.
image copyright Ann MacGillivray July 2009
image courtesy Will Temple August 2009
image courtesy Will Temple August 2009
The placing of a lamp post so close to a grade II listed building and a brick built power housing [for breast screening mobile units can connect to power] when they could have been placed on the opposite side of the concrete hard standing makes this another infringement of the curtilage of a listed building. Weeds of course soon establish themselves in the loose gravel and the gravel becomes a temptation for vandals to pick up and throw at the chapel or other hospital windows.
Image Will Temple August 2009
image courtesy Will Temple August 2009
Image courtesy Will Temple August 2009
Pieces of fallen stonework lay on the gravel surround. Whilst the scaffolding surrounds the chapel, full safety checks will be carried out on the stonework. We have gathered up the loose stonework and stored it as stone has a habit of disappearing. We also lifted a pit prop fencing post laying casually in the gravel rather than find it hurled through a window on a later visit.
Image copyright Ann MacGillivray July 2009
The side of the chuch with the outline of where the building adjoined into the hospital wing. Scaffolding was erected in September 2008 and shortly afterwards the lime plaster was hacked off leaving what had been intended as an internal wall [and internal door on the first floor] badly exposed to the elements. The opening under the door was infilled with black breeze blocks.
Image Copyright Will Temple May 2008
In places the individual panes have been damaged either by stone throwers or birds hitting the windows. THe soft Bath stone traceries attacked by acid rain need to be repaced in some cases. Copyright Ann MacGillivray July 2009
A room in the crypt. Cables hang from all angles and a tube light hangs dangerously supported by a prayer and a piece of gaffer tape. We will firstly need a qualified electrician to declare entry as being safe and then, an asbestos survey. Note the breeze blocked in aperture is completely inappropriate for a Grade II listed building. Copyright Ann MacGillivray July 2009
Moth eaten carpet will be removed. and the green lino probably there since 1948 will also be removed so that we can fully inspect the state of the wooden floorboards
Image copyright Ann MacGillivray July 2009
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The crypt currently used for storage has been painted with a thick plasticised vinyl and this is badly trapping the moisture in the bricks [the other side faces the weather]. Again this has to be carefully removed as the constant damp has caused the brick surfaces to deteriorate. Copyright Ann MacGillivray July 2009.
Unsympathetic wire meshed modern windows were placed in the crypt of the grade II listed building.
Copyright Ann MacGillivray July 2009
Wood panelling and artefacts will be carefully checked for beetle and woodworm infestation
Image copyright Ann MacGillivray July 2009
Some of the retired nurses tell how they used to volunteer to polish the brass work in the chapel. Years of metal polishing has left white powder ingrains which will be have to be checked over. Brass over the years builds up a patina and a balanced decision will be needed, do we retain the patina or polish off the rseidue metal polish to create a bright finish?
Image copyright Ann MacGillivray July 2009
Plasterwork in some cases on a harmful base containing cement is in urgent need of replacement. Lime plaster as used by the Victorians is not a good bed partner of modern cement or plasticised paints..
Image copyright Ann MacGillivray July 2009
Pigeons managed to get inside the chapel and this box of hymn books will need to be carefully cleaned.
Image copyright Ann MacGillivray July 2009
The only entrance into the chapel [on the 1st floor of the building] is via the scaffold on the outside of the building.
The chapel was attached to the hospital building so consequently the pine door was built to the standard of an interior door and is now under attack from the weather as by default it is now an outside door. A poor removal of the porch joining it to the original hospital wing [now demolished] leaves a 15 inch step at the bottom of the door. This probably means that a longer door will be needed to replace this door and fully reach down to the floor. The replacement door will be built of a more durable timber such as teak. In the meantime it urgently needs to be stripped and coated with marine varnish and the metal iron work protected from rusting. The effort in demolishing the adjoining porch has distorted the frame and the door no longer closes correctly. Under the door is a mass of crushed pipes and electric cable left in mid air by the demolition contractor. The exposed brickwork was designed to be enclosed within the building and the demolition of the porch now leaves it very exposed to the weather.
No thought was given as to how the chapel would be accessed after the demolition and that will now reflect in the very high cost of rectifying and conserving the building.
Image copyright Ann MacGillivray July 2009.