RESTORATION OF ST JAMES PARISH CHURCH TOWER

THE TOWER OF ST JAMES PARISH CHURCH, RAMSGRANGE, NEW ROSS, CO. WEXFORD

IS IN URGENT NEED OF RESTORATION.

History of St James Church.

St James Church, Ramsgrange, attributed to the design of the architect Augustus Welby Pugin was built in 1835 - 1845, and is recorded in the National inventory of Architectural Heritage. Recorded protected structure: WCC0644

St James Parish and its church dedicates its pastoral services to a large area of South East Co. Wexford (Ramsgrange, Arthurstown, Ballyhack, Ballinary, Shielbaggin, Rosetown, Boderan, Monachee, Coole, Curraghmore and many more areas.)

We, the St James Parish Committee are asking for any help possible to aid in the raising of the funds needed to restore our beautiful church’s bell tower.

An Architectural Condition Assessment was conducted in July 2022, to gain more information on the condition of the tower and the steps required to rectify the conditions highlighted by the assessment. Unfortunately the assessment highlighted some major problems, rainwater over the many decades and environmental moisture has led to mass vegetation growth of ferns, mosses and algae which hold excessive amounts of water and also attract more moisture to the area they are in. This has led to the timbers drawing moisture in from the walls and causing an extreme case of wet rot.

Our aim is to raise funds to enable the remedial work of the deteriorated stairs and the four floors, which have all deteriorated due to the wet rot in the bell tower. This will be a preliminary procedure to be able to progress

to the removal of the vegetation and the repair of severe water damage over decades to the tower walls and the leaks caused by the water damage. By doing this we can ensure the security and safety of all craftsmen as they progress to repair the leaks surrounding the pencil windows in the bell tower and the restoration of the walls of the bell tower itself and the painting of the entire Church interior.

Examples of mass vegetation growth of ferns, mosses and aglae

Extreme case of wet rot on the stairs and floors