Works complete removing embedded rusting iron from church spire
Spire repairs to Grade II Listed church
The spire of Grade II Listed Dorchester United Church was becoming structurally unstable due to ironwork embedded within the stone expanding as it rusted. The repairs involved finding and removing the iron, replacing damaged stone, and installing stainless steel internal bands to replace the structural function of the ironwork that was removed.
Although the repairs were simple in principle, they required specialist access techniques, stonemasonry, and also careful planning and judgement to ensure that the spire remained stable during the works. The geometry of the stainless steel hoops required careful fabrication, as not only does the spire taper, but it is not symmetrical.
The work was undertaken by Salley Strachey Historic Conservation, and the Structural Engineer was Dencher Consulting Engineers
