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On the Restoration of the Roofs to the North Aisle and Hungerford 

 Chapel, fFellow Church. By Thomas Browne, A.K.I.B.A. 



(Read January 7th, 1880J 



In compliance with a request from your Secretary for a short 

 paper on some subject of antiquarian interest, I have thought 

 that a few remarks on the restoration of the roofs of the north 

 aisle and Hungerford Chapel at Wellow Church, recently com- 

 pleted by my partner and myself, might not be unsuitable for a 

 meeting of our Club. 



In November, 1878, I was requested by the Vicar and Church- 

 wardens to examine the roofs, and report upon their condition 

 and what work should be done. The Church, which is one of 

 the finest village churches in the county, is remarkable for the 

 very good oak roofs of the Perpendicular period. The nave roof 

 of steep pitch, with richly-carved trusses and bracket pieces and 

 moulded ribs ; the aisle with flat span roofs, that on the south 

 side panelled throughout, and on the north panelled only at the 

 east end. The beams are all of ver}' solid and massive character 

 with deep mouldings and well cut bosses, and brackets against 

 the walls supported on carved stone corbels. 



The north aisle roof, at my inspection, was found to be in a 

 very insecure state, the ends of the beams rotted away and the 

 boarding on top so decayed that it was dangerous to walk upon 

 in some place. 



One length of wall plate had been removed some years ago 

 and replaced by stone, and near the north east corner several of 

 the ribs were supported by iron struts. 



The plans and drawings will show the arrangement and con- 

 struction of the roof There are four bays with principal timbers, 

 14in. by 9in., cut to a flat span from out of the solid, and similar 

 timbers at each end against the walls. The ridge piece, lOin. by 

 6in., is notched into the principals, and in the middle of each 



