Restoring the tower
Changes over the decades
The structure and appearance of the tower has changed very little over the decades, in contrast to the main church building where many adaptations have been made to meet the needs of church and community. Piecemeal repairs to the stonework were carried out from the 1970s on.
In recent years damage from wind, weather, pollution and inadequate drainage accelerated resulting in large scale decay and flaking of the stonework. Such decay is characteristic of Kentish ragstone, the building material for the tower, after 100 years’ exposure.
Restoration 2019/20
To reverse this deterioration, a major programme of repair and restoration was carried out over 2019/20 with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund and other funders.
The main aspects of restoration work were:
- Repair and as needed replacement of the stonework.
- Complete replacement of the stone ornaments in the flower frieze at the top of the tower.
- Damp proofing the walls and installation of new gutters and downpipes
- New internal staircases have been installed to provide safe access to the top of the tower
- Internal structural problems, including cracking, have been addressed.
- The stonework has been lightly cleaned.
The tower is now sound for future generations and makes a vital contribution to the heritage of Tooting Bec.