St John’s Church in Glastonbury was closed through 2019 for a major programme of repairs and reordering. Ellis and Co, the principle contractors has carefully removed the pews and stone floor.The subsoil was excavated and as is typical in churches and historic buildings of this age, archaeological remains were revealed during the excavation. Working alongside archaeologists from Context One and the County, discoveries included, tombs, a 13th Century Font and Norman column bases underneath the current pillars.
Whilst the floor was up, new services and an underfloor heating system were installed. The original flooring as well as a mix of new lias slabs, supplied from Purnells quarry in Somerton, were laid on a new limecrete slab.
The church is built directly on ground, without a solid laid foundation, so dampproofing and reinforcement works have been undertaken.
A new glass entrance lobby and new lighting scheme have enhanced St John's overall aesthetic.
Work proceeded as expected and was completed in December 2019.
