The Church of St. Giles is Listed Grade 1 placing it in the top 2% of listed buildings in terms of significance.
Cracks in the tower and damp penetration to its interior were a major concern and there was a belief that the ringing of the bells was the cause of cracking.
Hard cement pointing, carried out in the 1960s, was found to be far too hard. Mortar should always be softer and more porous than the stonework or brickwork with which is it used: the hard mortar was causing the stone to decay and creating gaps that allowed rainwater to penetrate the full 1 metre thickness of the tower walls. The hard mortar also lacked any flexibility and was therefore unable to absorb any movement in the structure. A grant was made available from English Heritage and this allowed for the careful removal of the cement pointing. Peter Rogan oversaw this work as a conservation accredited architect.
The cement pointing was replaced with a traditional lime mortar: lime mortar is porous and soft, both characteristics that help extend the life of the stonework in which they are used.
Samples of mortar mixes were trialed before a mix with the desired consistency was found, including different sands to create an appropriate match for the existing masonry.
