Maintaining Welsh Churches

Event details

Wednesday 2 October 2024, 9.30am - 3.45pm

Are you involved in caring for and maintaining a place of worship in Wales? 

Caring for a historic building can feel like a never-ending task, but thankfully there are some simple steps you can take to keep your building in good condition and reduce the likelihood of large repair projects further down the line.  

In this introductory one-day course, we’ll explore how your historic church building works and the practical steps you can take to look after it.  

You'll be able to put your new knowledge into action right away, with a practical exercise looking at the host building inside and out to identify maintenance issues and areas of vulnerability. There will also be the opportunity to discuss your own church building with the course tutors and others attending. 

Armed with a new understanding of how traditional buildings were constructed, how they work, and how they decay, you’ll leave with the skills and confidence you need to spot and tackle common problems that put your old building at risk.   

Who is this course for? 

This course is aimed at those directly involved in the maintenance of church buildings in a voluntary capacity such as PCC members, Fabric Officers or members of Fabric Committees. DAC Secretaries and Officers are also welcome. 

You will learn 

By the end of the course, you will understand:

• Why buildings decay and how to spot common problems.
• Building maintenance basics and why they are important.
• How to plan the routine maintenance of historic places of worship.
• Professional inspections and reports and their role in building maintenance.
• How to stay safe while maintaining your place of worship.

Programme 

This programme is subject to minor changes.

You will need 

Please wear warm, comfortable layers and sturdy and closed shoes. We recommend bringing a raincoat or umbrella for the practical exercise as part of it will be outdoors. 

Refreshments and a light lunch will be provided. Please indicate any dietary requirements on the booking form. 

Tutors

James Innerdale is a conservation architect, historic buildings consultant and SPAB technical adviser.  

Christina Emerson is Head of Casework at SPAB.

Elgan Jones is a conservation architect and SPAB casework officer in Wales. 

Assessment / Accreditation 

There is no formal assessment for this course, but we can provide a Certificate of Attendance upon request.

Accessibility

• Seating is available during the presentations in the church hall. The observation exercise involves a 70 minute walk inside and outside the church, with period of standing and looking upwards.
• The church is accessible on a flat path with one step into the church hall. There may be uneven surfaces in and around the church.
• There is ample on-street parking and toilets are available.
• Lunch is provided and we can cater for dietary restrictions, if indicated on the booking form.
• The course is presented in English. Welsh language translation is available on request, please email education@spab.org.uk to arrange this. 

Anything we can do to make this event more accessible for you? Please email education@spab.org.uk.

Supporters 

This course is supported by the Dioceses of Llandaff and Monmouth. 

We may take photos or videos at this event to be used in future promotion, including in print and online.

All bookings are subject to our Terms and Conditions. 

Photo credit: Church of St Mary the Virgin, Marshfield © John Lord, CC BY-SA 2.0