![]() ![]() In some recent cases, bell-cotes or pinnacles struck by lightning have even fallen to the ground or through a roof. These storms lift and disturb slates, pull up lead flashings, and in a few situations have broken and blown off stone finials. Many of these churches are located on the seafront or a raised hillside and have been experiencing some extreme winter storms, which are becoming noticeably more frequent. Other typical features include raised gables with skews (gable parapets) and a bell-cote or tower intersecting with the main roof. Much of ARPL Architects’ work is involved with Scottish Episcopal churches, which often have simple Victorian Gothic style steeply pitched slate roofs on timber sarking boards and trussed or tied rafter roofs that are exposed to the interior. For these churches, regular maintenance and patching up repairs are no longer enough comprehensive conservation work and re-roofing is often the only option. Many of the churches are now 150 to 200 years old and are reaching a stage of decay where roofing materials can no longer cope with the persistent wet climate. It has been well reported that there has been as much as a 50 per cent increase in annual precipitation in the last 50 years and an increased frequency of gales and storms as a result of climate change. ![]() Weather conditions for the Inverclyde and Ayrshire coasts of the River Clyde, Argyll and the Western Isles have a reputation for being a challenge, with high rainfall combined with prevailing south-westerly winds often resulting in prolonged periods of driving rain. With the help of grants from the Listed Places of Worship Roof Repair Fund, the Heritage Lottery Fund and the VAT recovery scheme, the last few years have been extremely busy with roof repairs to a good number of churches in rural and coastal locations for us in the west of Scotland. Storm damage to the roof of Trinity Church in Irvine, North Ayrshire due to poor slate fixings and the use of lightweight zinc ridges (All photos: Rebecca Cadie) Battling the Elements Church Roof Repairs in the West of Scotland Rebecca Cadie ![]()
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