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PAYE Stonework were called in By Martin Ashley Architects to carry out cleaning and conservation work at the City of London's only remaining monastery church were surprised to find its seventeenth century brick tower suffering the effects of iron corrosion. Detailed surveys discovered that cracking had been caused by vibrations set up by many years of bell ringing.
St. Bartholomew the Great, with its impressive Norman interior, nestles on the edge of busy Smithfield market and is hidden from view behind a 13th century gateway supporting a half timbered Elizabethan building. Cleaning and repairing the complex structure, with elements dating back to its original construction in 1123, was entrusted to the masonry specialists.
Structural engineers, Alan Baxter Associates, found that due to a build up of rust behind iron pattress plates attached to the tie bars which run through the tower, the restraint system originally intended to provide additional strength to the masonry was now deteriorating.
The repair work involved carefully removing the tie rods and pattress plates and replacing them with laser cut replicas, and bolting them to 8 new tie rods, which had to be threaded around bell frames and other obstacles. All new metalwork used was stainless stell.
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