1960's and all that....

The marble, purbeck and clipsham stone arrived for the new circular floor beneath the font today. All pre-cut to shape by high-pressured fine water-jet - it could slice through flesh cleaner than a lightsaber - for all you Star Wars fans. The York stone paving was given its final pointing up today and all washed down - looking very good. The circular floor will be laid from tomorrow onwards.

Our architect arrived to inspect the works today and he and I noticed that, from a distance, the font was incredibly dirty. On closer inspection it transpired that the side facing us, had been placed facing the north wall in the 1960's and so the dirt was not noticed. Even more fascinating was the fact that the dirt is soot! It dates from the fire in the 1960's.... talk about cutting corners. Clearly that side of the font, which at the time of the fire was just inside the west door, was outermost and bore the brunt of the smoke damage, and yet it seems no one saw fit to conserve/restore it before it was moved. Putting that side towards the wall so as not to be seen really does seem bad form. I guess many a parish church has found similar examples of shoddy practice when they have come to restore/reorder, but I find it quite disturbing that such things can happen.

Cement, resin and fibre-glass may all have been in vogue in the 1960's (but mercifully are passing away), but cleanliness has surely never been out of fashion even though some rejoice in slovenly attire or a state of being unwashed!

So the font will be cleaned all over before being placed in it's new position so as not to detract from the pristine floor.

The new circular floor will be stunning. Inside the outer purbeck edge are white waves in marble followed by the green of the sea and as the bands get closer to the font the waves get calmer - thus symbolising God bringing order out of the primordial chaos and Christ stilling the storm. Through baptism we are rescued from chaos, confusion and destruction and brough into a safe haven. I hope to post some images tomorrow evening.