'Positive feedback' from public to refurbishment of old Castletown church
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THE couple behind a plan to transform an historic church in Castletown into a home have been encouraged by "the positive feedback" they have received from people in the village.
Angus Cowap and Dr Heather Davis are pleased with the progress the project is making and are looking forward to the day they can move into the
former Established church which was constructed in the 19th century.
Mr Cowap said: "Construction on this scale and within such an ancient building does present challenges but our builder Norbloc Construction has taken it in their stride and the whole team seems to be getting on well with the project.
"The most visible change is the lime mortar coating on the external walls done by the stone masons who are also working hard to make necessary repairs to some of the stonework that has become damaged with age. In line with our stated intent at the outset, almost all the work is being done by local firms which is pleasing for us."
He added: "Some of the glazing has already been put in, particularly the big round windows at the top of the tower and we are getting close to being water tight.The last bit of roof slating on the front pitches is just being finished. Last week, work started on the garage area. Internally, we have been working hard at transforming the old stone structure into something less draughty. Overall, there is still a lot to do. Perhaps, it is not too optimistic to hope for a year end timescale but it is hard to say really. We are pleased with progress, excited, and looking forward to the day we can move in."
The couple, who moved to the village five years ago, are undertaking a major refurbishment of the building which lay empty for a number of years before they bought it.
They spent some time clearing trees that were in danger of undermining the structure and have been shifting rubbish, including rusty cars and vehicle parts, from around the site.
The building warrant was obtained last year but the project was then delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The church is believed to date back to 1840 and was built to accommodate the rising population of the parish of Olrig.
It was replaced in 1929 by the church on the Main Street. It was used by the RAF as a mess hall in World War II and was later a site for residential caravans.
As previously reported, six wooden panels with pencilled inscriptions, dating from 1864 to the 1950s, were found during the renovation work and were given to the Castlehill Heritage Centre.
