NOW FALLING DOWN
LITTLE DORRIT'S CHURCH
Little Dorrit's church—the Church of St. George the Martyr in Borough High Street, Southwark —is in danger of collapse, says the "Evening Standard." Vibration from trains passing through Borough Underground station immediately under the church and from heavy traffic passing outside has seriously affected the structure. In a recent report on the church, Mr. F. Etchells, the architect, says:— "The south wall is cracked in several places and bulging to a minimum extent of two inches. Movement is undoubtedy still taking place, and a carei ful investigation of the foundations is essential. "Almost every supporting pillar of the west north, and south galleries is out of the upright. The main beams of the galleries have pulled away from the walls and the galleries have also come away from the east walls of the nave. ! INFLUENCE OF DAMP. "Damp has penetrated at the junction of the tower and the south-west part of the roof, with the result that the timbers have decayed and sunk. The slating must be stripped and all defective timbers replaced. "Evidence of damage by the deathwatch beetle has been found in the oak flooring and pews; the ceiling also is in urgent need of attenion, as it has been badly affected by traffic vibration and pieces of plaster are continually falling." St. George's was built just over 200 years ago on the site of a pre-Refor-mation church. Opposite was the famous Marshalsea Prison, and in the burial ground are the graves of numerous prisoners. Dickens's heroine "Little Dorrit" was married at St. George's while her father was in the Marshalsea Prison. Repair work on the church was started as long ago as 1929, but had to be abandoned when the restoration fund was exhausted. The church, which stands in one of the poorest, and most congested areas in London, is on the site of one of the oldest, if not the oldest, religious foundations in London. A church on the site was mentioned by chroniclers in 1122. ,
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19381027.2.12
Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 102, 27 October 1938, Page 5
Word Count
336NOW FALLING DOWN Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 102, 27 October 1938, Page 5
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