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| Lady
St Mary Church Wareham Dorset |
Close to the River Frome which flows through the southern part of
Wareham is the old 12th century parish church of Lady St Mary
The Victorian wet heating system installed in this church is of a
most unusual shape and design. The Heritage Group had been
told that the heating pipework in the church was of square
shape and decorated with chevron markings.
|
The Church
records state "A
new
heating system was installed in 1882. The same
central
heating pipes are still in
the church and are dated 1880. The inscription on the end headers of
the
box-ended heaters gives the name of the maker.
MERCER BROS
- MAKER - BLACKBURN
In
the parish magazine of November
1888 Reverend Selwyn Blackett states that
the new system of hot water
pipes was the gift of the Sandford family.
This was the Rodgetts of Sandford House. |
|
The two
central pew islands in the Nave have a raised floor approx 100mm higher
than
the
adjacent aisles, and it is at this change in height where the square
pipework is located
in a single pipe loop which is in the form of a ring main routed around
the four sides of
each pew island. This square pipework has no supports or brackets
and
rests
directly on the tiled floor. Also there is no provision for expansion
in any of the
long
runs. This arrangement appears to work quite satisfactorily and there
are no signs
of
stressing in the socketted joints.
|
Centre aisle
Left
hand
aisle
Right hand aisle
What makes these two
main single pipe ring loops so remarkable is that there is no
obvious flow and return pipe connections. It needed a detailed search to establish
exactly where the two separate ring mains were fed from. It has to be assumed that
an internal blanking plate is fitted in the square pipework between the two pipe
connections that rise from below, to achieve the correct direction of flow.
obvious flow and return pipe connections. It needed a detailed search to establish
exactly where the two separate ring mains were fed from. It has to be assumed that
an internal blanking plate is fitted in the square pipework between the two pipe
connections that rise from below, to achieve the correct direction of flow.
The white circles
depict where the flow and return pipes connect into the
underside of the square pipes. Each connection is 100mm diameter cast iron.
underside of the square pipes. Each connection is 100mm diameter cast iron.
 |
At the tower entrance
to the Nave are sited two large box-ended
pipe heaters each 5 pipes high by 2 rows deep which are also decorated with chevron plus diamond shaped markings. Both heaters are piped in series with the square pipework of the ring main and have a flanged stool piece which connects the pipe directly to the box-end of the header. |
 |
The circular pipes of the box-ended heaters are covered with diamond shaped patterns. |
There are two styles of pipework installed in the church
1) the square decorated pattern and
2) standard 100mm dia cast iron
A standard cast iron double pipework coil is installed along the two outside walls of
the Nave and in all the floor ducts. Also fitted in the Tower entrance area is another
large size box-ended heater 8 pipes high by 2 rows deep, but of plain appearance.
| It would appear
that Mercer Bros of Blackburn the designers of the heating system chose
to install
two styles of pipework. Firstly where the pipework is in an exposed and
visible
position the highly ornate and decorated square pattern was fitted, and
secondly
where
the pipework was to be concealed behind pews or in floor ducts
standard 100mm dia cast iron was used. |
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November
2006
