Keeping A Roof Over Our Heads

The Octagon Church Wisbech The Octagon Church of Wisbech was built in 1827 as a chapel of ease, opening it's doors in 1831 and complimenting the existing churches of St Peter & St. Paul and St. Augustine. Note the similarity in shape to the famous Ely Cathedral lantern! It was closed in 1946, and was subsequently demolished in 1952 as the building was deemed to be unsafe (probably as a result of wartime damage and neglect). It was sited proudly overlooking the Old Market (where the vet's surgery is today). No Heritage Lottery support for it sadly. All that was left behind was an overgrown and forgotten graveyard that was a mess of tangled brambles, stinging nettles and self-sown trees that had overtaken the space. Until and couple of year ago, when a dedicated band of Friends, started to take it in hand. Last weekend saw the site open to the public for the first time, to witness the incredible restoration that has been taking place behind the high walls. The work has includ...

  This is a Brown long-eared bat, some of whom share the church with us during the summer! The fact sheet below gives some more information from the Bat Conservation Trust for those who might be interested. https://cdn.bats.org.uk/uploads/pdf/About%20Bats/brownlongeared_11.02.13.pdf?v=1541085177

Flushed with the success of the first tour, more intrepid congregation members braved the trip up to the roof to check on the progress. There has been a lot completed in the last little while. The north roof is almost completely finished and the contractors are about to start on the south side. The first photo shows the completed roof. A total of 112 msq of lead has gone on to the roof and this weighs 12 tons, which is more than a full laden double-decker bus. This picture shows one of the roof beams that was repaired by the Victorians (renowned for their bodge jobs). Although this was done properly, the bolts they used to make the mend were too short which is why the beam has failed again. This time a new piece of oak has been spliced inside the beam and the job is good for another 150 years. Before the work began, the obligatory bat survey showed that there were some long-eared bats in residence among these beams, but they are safe from all the disturbance and work. O...