Great Malvern Priory's work to replace Victorian pew plinths

The long-awaited project to remove the plinths, a trip hazard since the platforms were installed in the 1860s, is underway and on target to be completed soon.

The plan is to create a flat nave surface in the main area of the Great Malvern Priory Nave and for the building to be fully open again just before this Easter. 

Viewing windows allow visitors to observe the craftsmen at work, and to see the progress being made.

This project is believed to be a first, where 21st-century floor components and underfloor heating are being installed in a medieval building dating back to 1085.

Sir George Gilbert Scott installed the timber pew plinths in 1863, intending to then install pews. 

However, records show funds ran out before the pews could be ordered, so individual rush seats, much smaller than we would be comfortable on today, were purchased instead. 

Those seats have since been replaced by more modern, comfortable chairs.

During the work, a small exposure of medieval footing – Malvern stone rubble, has been uncovered and will be left permanently exposed for the 40,000 or so visitors per year to see.

The twelve circuits of the new underfloor heating, together with a deep layer of insulation, will ensure that users of the building are kept feeling warmer in the winter, without having to heat quite so much of the huge building. 

A large air-source heat pump will be installed in 2025 - also contributing to carbon Net Zero objectives in years to come.

The engineered board floor finish has been carefully chosen to closely match the previous pitch pine boarding. 

Where possible, the old timber that was removed has been carefully selected and will be used for many different purposes. 

Some small ornaments and artefacts made by volunteers from the 160-year-old oak joists will be on sale in the church after Easter – a lovely reminder of the building’s historic past.

The main contractor for the work is Reynolds Conservation of Onibury, Shropshire.