Trinity Church, Wimbledon: Roofing & Refurbishment
Project Overview
We were appointed as Principal Contractor to carry out spire repairs and external refurbishment works to Trinity United Reformed Church in Wimbledon — a Grade II listed church of late-Victorian craftsmanship, recognised nationally under Historic England list entry 1380171.
The works involved the repair and re-cladding of both spires, with associated leadwork, timber repairs, and restoration of the exposed timber and metal weathervanes. As a listed ecclesiastical building in continuous congregational use, the project called for a careful, considered approach at every stage — from the design of the temporary works through to the sympathetic detailing of the finished spires.
The Challenge
The works were located entirely at high level on two tapering spires, with no possibility of working from the ground and no working platform available within the permanent structure. The scaffold could not be founded and supported from external ground level alone, and load therefore had to be transferred into the building itself. This placed the temporary works directly within the occupied interior of a listed church, above fixed historic furnishings that could not be removed.
The condition of the fabric compounded the constraint. The lead cladding to both spires dated from 1886 and was found to be failing. Repairs undertaken by steeplejacks long before the introduction of modern health and safety regulation had prolonged its life, but on opening up both the leadwork and the timber boarding beneath were found to require full replacement — and the extent of the concealed defects was greater than could be established from inspection before access was in place.
Historic buildings are renowned for revealing more than survey can predict. This project was a textbook case
On completion, every removed brick was carefully reinstated, ensuring the church’s fabric was returned exactly as it had been found. Nothing was compromised, and no lasting mark was left on the building.
The Solution
Temporary Works and Access
An extensive scaffolding scheme was designed and erected to provide access to both spires. The arrangement incorporated two internal support towers erected within the church itself, one of which stood directly above the altar — transferring the load of the high-level access into the building at controlled, pre-determined points rather than relying on external support alone. Bearing points were pre-determined at design stage, loads spread across sole plates and spreaders, and the altar and adjacent fixed furnishings were fully encased and protected before the towers were erected.
The design, erection, alteration, inspection, and dismantling of all temporary works were managed by Maguire Brothers as Principal Contractor, under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. As a United Reformed Church building in use, the works fell under the ecclesiastical exemption and were consented through the faculty jurisdiction.
Retention and Sympathetic Re-Cladding
Where the fabric had reached the end of its serviceable life it was replaced, but nothing was stripped ahead of assessment. The timber structure beneath the boarding was treated and retained, and only the boarding that had failed was replaced. Both spires were then re-clad sympathetically to the original 1886 design, so that the repair is not legible as a modern intervention from the ground — while incorporating modern enhancements to fixing and detailing to extend the service life of the new leadwork. All leadwork was executed in accordance with Lead Sheet Association guidance.
The exposed timber and the metal weathervanes to both spires were restored rather than renewed, retaining original material at the most visible and most exposed point of the building.
Managing Concealed Defects
Because the scaffold and internal towers had been designed for the full extent of potential works rather than the minimum anticipated scope, the additional work identified on opening up was absorbed without re-scaffolding, without a second period of disruption to the congregation, and without leaving opened-up fabric exposed while a variation was resolved. Additional works were recorded and instructed through the Contract Administrator, with the programme revised accordingly.
Throughout the contract, daily co-ordination with the church maintained access for worship, and the interior — including the altar beneath the internal support towers — was fully protected at every stage.
The Outcome
Trinity United Reformed Church now has two fully refurbished spires — sympathetically re-clad in lead to the original 1886 design, structurally sound, and enhanced with modern detailing that will extend the service life of the new work for generations to come. The exposed timber and weathervanes are restored, the historic fabric respected, and the character of the church wholly preserved.
Heritage work of this nature calls for far more than roofing knowledge. It calls for a real understanding of temporary works, of listed building duties, of the pace and rhythm of a live congregation, and of how to handle the unexpected without compromising the fabric of a building that has stood for over a century.
You can view our technical article on Trinity Church, and browse additional church and ecclesiastical roofing and refurbishment case studies.
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