Story

Oxford's most central green space needs urgent care and attention. The plan is to refurbish the railings, conserve and secure some of the gravestones, and then welcome the public in through a new gateway facing Cornmarket Street.

The completed project will not only give pleasure to visitors to the churchyard but also to the many who come by it on foot and on bicycles, as well as those who alight from buses in the neighbouring streets.

Current state of the Churchyard railings:

In one sentence: not great. See the photos below!

Donkeywell Forge

We have engaged Donkeywell Forge to undertake the restoration works, matching the current layout, following their survey, and to improve upon the modern repairs and modifications undertaken previously. Their website can be found here.

The ironwork surveyed extends to approximately 195 linear metres in total, incorporating two double gates, three single gates, one pilaster, and two lamp posts. The railings comprise of full-length uprights with forged and fire-welded arrowhead dog bars and horizontal members, standing an average of 1.2 metres in height from the stone base.

They have indicated the remedial works needed:

Sections of the ironwork requiring significant repair will be removed to the forge for conservation. Temporary security fencing will be erected in their place. Work will be phased to ensure continuity of boundary protection and public safety. The majority of on-site works will be carried out behind protective barriers and welding curtains to shield the public from hot works.

They have also indicated the required conservation approach:

All works will follow NHIG conservation principles, with an emphasis on retaining as much original material as possible, replicating traditional joinery methods for replacements, and using materials compatible with the historic fabric. Interventions will be limited to those necessary for structural stability, safety, and the arrest of further deterioration, avoiding irreversible changes wherever possible. As discussed with the Magdalen Church stakeholders during our meetings, “true wrought iron” is not a required material for making or replacing ironwork elements. Donkeywell Forge will use wrought iron if available from pre-existing sections. Where wrought iron is not available, a matching section in S275JR grade mild steel will be used as an alternative.

In addition to the railings, we are also replacing and restoring the lamp posts, which were in a sorry state:

The lamp post on the north side exhibits general corrosion and paint loss but remains in fair condition. We assume that there are missing decorative supports that are apparent on the south side lamp post; however, if there are, the missing ironwork is no longer with the original. There doesn’t appear to be any structural issues on the main upright that will require intervention to maintain integrity.

The south side lamp post is currently in a state of disrepair. Several components, including the supports, are temporarily bound. Key joins have failed and require reinstatement. It is also apparent that missing and detached elements are evident; however, without historical evidence of the original attachments to certain scrollwork features, their precise form and detailing remain unknown.

Both lampposts show evidence of surface corrosion due to prolonged exposure to the elements and inadequate protective coatings. The north side deterioration is largely superficial. The south side exhibits more advanced corrosion, particularly at failed joints and areas where ironwork components have detached.