Stolen Lead Roofs To Be Replaced With Stainless Steel

By Alan Winter -
Vicar, Revd. Anne Crawford, pictured in April with the south aisle roof in the background. Photo: A D Winter.

A Grade 1 Listed building at Chalgrave, All Saints Church, are applying for permission to replace their stolen south and north aisle lead roofs with a terne coated stainless steel roof.

The remote church between Houghton Regis and Toddington is vulnerable to thieves, with only one nearby residential home. It has had lead stolen from its south aisle roof in December 2015. In April 2016 the north roof was also damaged by thieves and roofing stolen.

The church would find it financially difficult to raise funds to replace the roofs with lead, and repeat thefts cannot be ruled out.

Wall paintings. Photo: A D Winter, 2012. More pictures
The church has historic wall paintings liable to be damaged by inclement weather if the roofs continue to be uncovered. The terne coated stainless steel has been approved by Historic England.

The application will be considered by Central Bedfordshire Council, Application CB/16/01920

Parts of the current church at Chalgrave date back to about 1230. The west tower was begun in 1380, built of Totternhoe stone and flint chequer work. In 1888 a storm caused the top of the tower to topple, and it was never rebuilt to its original height. (Further historical reading and construction notes: http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/portal/showimage.asp?j=CB/16/01920&index=659957)