Synergy News & Blog: Bath Office
Second phase of Footprint Project has commenced
In our March blog, we introduced the Bath Abbey Footprint project. The project with a proposed completion date of 11 December 2020 is now on site and we are delighted to provide our next blog instalment on this fascinating project.
Emery Brothers, who are the main contractor, have commenced the enabling works, both inside and outside the Abbey. Major floor repairs are required as portions of Bath Abbey’s floor are collapsing, making it unstable. This is due to the occurrence of large voids, resulting from the decomposition of the 8,500 buried bodies. The works inside the Abbey will be implemented in four stages to allow the Abbey to stay open for services, concerts and visitors during the projects duration. Eight hundred and ninety one ledger stones will be lifted, documented, and repaired concurrently with the floor repairs. To enable the repair of the floor, all the fixed furniture will be removed.
To create a more flexible and accessible space and to meet the needs of the church in the years ahead, Bath Abbey will be replacing the nave pews with removable seating. Objections raised by Victorian Society in a Consistory Court last October were not accepted. The hand carved Corporation Stalls in the east end of the Abbey, the pews behind them and choir stalls will all be reinstated.
Synergy are providing Cost Consultancy and Project Management Services on this project. We look forward to providing you with a further blog update in the Autumn.
