Some things get better with age, and visitors to St. John the Baptist Church in Pawlett would certainly admire the old Norman church's classic style.
However, unsympathetic restoration, including hard renders and resinous paint, coupled with a succession of bitter winters and wet summers have taken their toll on the old church, causing render to detach from the exterior of the building.
The quinquennial report also noted ironwork in the windows had corroded, splitting the stone and loosening the glass, while iron nails on the roof slates were failing, presenting a risk of falling slates.
Fortunately for the church, a pro-active committee, along with strong support from the residents of Pawlett and an award of £135,000 from Valencia Communities Fund, quickly raised the required funds to undertake a series of vital repairs to the church.
Cement render was hacked out, stonework replaced and the whole building re-rendered in lime mortar, ensuring the future of the grade I building and proving that some things really do improve with age.
