Day 151 - Access Scaffolding Removed

Week 32 - Day 151
The temporary scaffolding that provided the working floor above the gallery floor and provided access for work on the ceiling was removed today. The view of the ceiling can now be seen from the chapel floor and means that restoration work scan proceed to the gallery and the pews.
Withe the scaffolding removed the windows can now start to be replaced.

Day 140 - Staining the Roof Trusses

Week 29 - Day 140
Having finished the messy work applying lime plaster to the ceiling laths attention has now turned to the roof trusses.
Before work started the trusses had been boxed in by lath and plaster and painted white to match the walls and ceiling. The pews are going to be painted an pale white/cream tones, so it has been decided to  leave the trusses as bare wood but with a cleaned up surface.
The cleaning has removed a white coating which indicated where the original ceiling had been constructed.

Here the uncleaned roof trusses of George Street Chapel show the bare wood which would have
been within the attic space. The white paint would have been visible below the original ceiling.

The George Street Chapel  roof trusses were covered with lath and plaster
and painted white when the original ceiling was removed and the roof lights inserted.
This how the roof trusses were found when the conservation repairs started.  

Day 37 - Roof Construction Diagram

Week 8 - Day 37
Whilst the painters get on with refurbishing the windows we can consider how the roof was constructed.
All these details have been hidden between the slates, roofing felt and a lath and plaster ceiling, but we can begin to dissect the original design and later alterations. As part of the rebuilding we have decisions to make, such as whether to re-introduce a stone gutter on the George Street elevation.
Most of this detail will be lost to view again as the lath and plaster is replaced around the beams and to re-,make the ceiling.