Sunday 25 July 2010 at 07:56 am
That's what has had to be poured into the foundations for the new organ gallery! The builders began digging the holes for the upright supports of the gallery expecting to have to dig down about 3 feet before they reached solid chalk. However they got to about 8 feet deep and still hadn't found any. After a couple of visits from a structural engineer it was decided that filling the holes with concrete would give adequate foundations so that's what they did - 7 tons of it! Unfortunately this has added another £2000 to the cost of the project (concrete, labour and engineer's fees).
At the other end of the church, the meeting room screen has been glazed (no door yet) and the glass has been cut for the chancel screen before being sent away to be strengthened. Judith and Dawn have spent many hours tidying and cleaning the chancel so that it is now fit for use again.
Saturday 26 June 2010 at 09:58 am
We are now using the new vestry for its intended purpose as it is finished apart from fitting a radiator.
We were also able to make good use of the new meeting room as a small café at the recent church fete. Again we are waiting for the plumbers to come and fit the radiators and the screen has not been glazed yet.
The plaster above the pulpit has been repaired and the gap filled (not with half a ton of polyfilla!) so the scaffolding has been removed.
The font has been removed from its position at the back of the church and will be installed near the south door (a variation in our faculty has been applied for as it was originally to have been moved to the south transept.) This will help to give us an open space at the back of the church for more flexible use.
Thursday 03 June 2010 at 10:02 pm
Progress has been quite slow recently, mainly because the builders keep finding more problems as they are working and so more work is added to the list which may involve the architect and contractors having to rethink what they are doing. For instance when they took up some floorboards in the chancel to install the new heating they discovered alot of rotten timber that had to be replaced and had to take the choir stalls out to get to it. They also found a tombstone under the floor on the other side which is in the way of the planned underfloor heaters so there will have to be something different at that end of the chancel.
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Saturday 03 April 2010 at 08:10 am
The remains of the organ have been removed so work can start soon on the west end. A gallery will be built to house the refurbished organ and the loo and kithcenette will be installed at the base of the tower.
Work has started on installing the new glass screen (or at least the oak framework for it) behind the mediaeval screen which will separate the new meeting room from the rest of the church.
Next week the builders are having a week off while painters and decorators come and paint the vestry. The cupboards will be green and the walls off-white.
Friday 19 March 2010 at 10:15 pm
The organ pipes, keyboard and other reusable parts have been dismantled and taken away by organ builder, Richard Bowers. They will be refurbished and brought back along with extra pipes in about eighteen months. In the meantime we are using a temporary electronic organ.
The vestry cupboards have been installed and will be painted green. Some replastering has been done in the old vestry and north transept and panelling has been fitted where the old choir robe cubboard was. Part of the floor has been relaid.
The concrete base has been cut away from under the medieval screen which has now been lowered to its new position.
Sunday 21 February 2010 at 11:00 am
For the latest news on the building work see the development page
We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the work, especially the cold temperatures over the last couple of weeks. The heating is working but the timer switch has been disrupted by the power supply being switched off while rewiring work is done.
Saturday 20 February 2010 at 2:09 pm
Week 4 has seen the arrival of the cupboards for the new vestry. They have arrived in sections and are being constructed on site.
Most of the floor in the north transept is now back in place with just a couple of boards to go.
For photos see here
Sunday 14 February 2010 at 8:40 pm
Most of the work this week has been plumbing for the new east end heating and laying electric cable.
We have discovered that the lighting needs to be replaced at a cost of about £5000. However the good thing about this is that the new lights will use less energy and so will be more environmentally friendly and save on electricty bills.
Saturday 06 February 2010 at 3:36 pm
The new boiler for the east end heating system has been installed (though not yet connected) and a water pipe laid from the mains entry point in the Lady Chapel to the west end. The new gas pipe and electricity cables will follow the same route. New three phase circuit boards have been installed for the electricity supply.
New floor joists have been laid in the North Transept and the vestry with a damp proof membrane underneath. Old heating pipes have also ben removed.
For more photos visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/aly_ely/
Friday 05 February 2010 at 07:58 am
The building work started on Monday 25th January. The builders from Flanders Bothers have fenced off an area around the base of the tower, removed carpets and cupboards form the Vestry and Lady Chapel (exposing a large tomb of a former vicar) and taken up floorboards in the vestry and North Transept. The lifting of the floorboards showed that the vestry sink had been draining to the space under the floor causing rotten joists which will have to be replaced.
For more photos visit
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aly_ely/
Wednesday 09 January 2008 at 2:23 pm
Over the past few years St Laurence's Church has undergone a number of changes to bring it up to date and make it more accessible to all. In 1999 the carpark and paths were relaid. In 2005 a disabled toilet and a kitchen area were installed and in 2007 a ramp for the West Door and a hearing loop were added.
Wednesday 05 December 2007 at 6:32 pm
Click to Download Photograph
A photograph of the new window in the North Aisle.
Wednesday 05 December 2007 at 6:27 pm
Click to Download Photograph
A new stained glass window depicting 'The Sower', given by Timothy Clark, was dedicated at our Harvest Festival on Sunday, 14th October by Bishop John Inge.
St Andrew's is open daily 9.15am -5.30pm for prayer and reflection or for visitors to look around our beautiful historic building. Members of the congregation often pop in and will try to answer any questions you may have. There is a guide book on the leaflet shelves near the door.
Find St. Andrew's Soham & St. Laurence's Wicken on
Google Maps
The Clergy
The Vicar: The Reverend Tim Alban Jones
The Vicarage, Cross Green, Soham, Ely, CB7 5DU
01353 720423
Email the Vicar
Web Editor
Alison Evans
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1st Sunday
11:00am Holy Communion
2nd Sunday
11:00am Ecumenical Service
(Check the Calendar)
3rd Sunday
8:00am Holy Communion BCP
4th Sunday
11:00am Morning Prayer
5th Sunday
11:00am Holy Communion CW (with Soham)
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Open daily 9.15am -5.30pm for prayer and reflection.
1st Sunday
8:00am Holy Communion BCP
9:30am Sung Eucharist
6.30pm Streams - Taizé or Iona
2nd Sunday
8:00am Holy Communion BCP
9:30am Sung Eucharist
3rd Sunday
8:00am Holy Communion BCP
9:30am Family Service
4th Sunday
8:00am Holy Communion BCP
9:30am Sung Eucharist
5th Sunday
8:00am Holy Communion BCP
11:00am Joint service at Wicken.
Thursday
10:00am Holy Communion BCP
