The Trust has funded £2000 for the replacement of sodden timber and lead flashing in a tricky to access area over the top of the oldest part of the church. Once the interior has completely dried out we will look at the lime plaster damage to the walls. This is a small but fascinating room at the top of a narrow spiral staircase on the way up to the Bell Tower. It was the space for an “on duty” priest to sleep and work at a time when there was always someone present in the church.
Don Mackreth, a former head of archaeology for developments in and around Peterborough, considered the room to be the oldest meeting room still in public use. Today the bell ringers use it for training.
Easily overlooked, the space contains some interesting detail – two unpainted wingless angels, a stone calf’s head perhaps and a urinal probably used by bellringers of long ago. The room is sited above what would have been St. Kyneburgha’s shrine where the organ is located today. The doorway to this room is probably 10C and the stone walls may sit directly on Roman foundations. The walls are from the 11/12C but the roof is relatively modern dating from about 1450.
Remedial work has been carried out by Colin Hussey’s team, supervised by William Baxter.
