The first quarter of 2025 has been extremely busy for the team at West Country Tiling. Our roofers have been working on numerous reroofing projects throughout the South West of England. Some of these projects required us to sign non-disclosure agreements before commencing work, so while we cannot tell you about those, we are delighted to share details of several other fascinating roofing projects we have been involved in.
Church of St Lawrence, Rode, Somerset
A significant portion of our work is dedicated to ecclesiastical roofing. We have extensive experience in reroofing churches, chapels and cathedrals throughout Somerset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Devon, and Dorset. From Saxon and Norman to Medieval and Gothic buildings, our Master Craftsmen specialise in the conservation of traditional roofing styles.
We recently completed the second phase of a three-phase project at the Church of St Lawrence in Rode, Somerset. This Grade I listed building dates from the early 15th century and was restored in 1874 by Charles Edward Davis, the City Architect of Bath.
In this phase, our work involved erecting scaffolding, carefully stripping the old Cotswold stone roof tiles, salvaging and reusing as much original material as possible, before reroofing the structure, rebuilding the gutters, carrying out leadwork, and undertaking masonry repairs. Once we complete the final phase later this year, the entire reroofing of this historic church will be complete.
St Mary’s Church Calne, Wiltshire
Our team has also been working on St Mary’s Church in Calne, Wiltshire, another Grade I listed building, originally dating from the 12th century. Although the core is Norman in origin, the church was extended in the 14th and 15th centuries. After the collapse of the tower and spire in 1638, the rebuilding work incorporated the Gothic Survival style, maintaining the Gothic tradition well into the post-medieval period. The church underwent further restoration in 1864 under the supervision of William Slater, an architect renowned for his sensitive restoration of historic churches across England.
Our work here focused on preserving the church’s flat lead roof, an area of particular expertise, as we manufacture our own sand-cast lead at our headquarters in Frome. We also refitted the flagpole and upgraded the lightning conductor system, important safety features we often install or refurbish on ecclesiastical buildings.
We are proud to play our part in preserving the work of those who went before us, continuing the tradition of conserving Britain’s remarkable architectural heritage.
Sherrington Manor
We were also delighted to work on the beautiful Sherrington Manor in Wiltshire, a stunning Grade II listed country house surrounded by parkland. Although the existing manor house largely dates from the 18th century, the manor of Sherrington has far older origins, with mentions in the Domesday Book of 1086, commissioned by William the Conqueror. At that time, Sherrington was recorded as part of the lands of the Abbey of Shaftesbury.
The current owner has added a new oak-framed conservatory, featuring an impressive rooflight, which we roofed using traditional plain clay tiles to remain sympathetic to the original character of the house.
If you need expert reroofing services, please contact us today to discuss how we can help conserve an restore your property’s history by calling 01373 462 224 or by emailing us on info@westcountrytiling.com.