Operated by East Boldre Community Stores Limited.
Community Benefit Society, number 8481
Restoring the Chapel's Original Features
The Vestry
In May 2023, a number of volunteers worked in the chapel as part of the “Big Help Out” for King Charles III's coronation.
The wallpapered panelling in the vestry was removed so we could treat the damp and assess any problems the panelling was hiding. When our contractor, Tuakana, stripped the plaster two original fireplaces that had been bricked up were discovered. With some careful repointing these now provide a feature in this community space.
When the former Lymington Town Hall was demolished, the materials were offered for sale. The church agreed with the demolition contractor to buy some of the pine parquet, previously laid in the mayor’s parlour, to cover the painted concrete floor in the vestry. However, when they went to collect the blocks, they found it had been promised to another party. A coin was tossed and the church won the flooring which was laid in 1970.
Having removed the folding partition, that had created a small office in the vestry, we repaired the floor. It was then sanded and varnished and looks as good as new.
The Retail Area
The chapel’s pine panelling was removed so we could address the severe damp in the chapel's external walls. This was carried out by local volunteers during the Big Help Out held as part of the coronation celebrations in May 2023.
Once removed it was sanded and treated against rot and woodworm. It was then painted to match the ceiling by volunteers during our ‘painting parties’ and refitted by our contractor, Tuakana, once works to address the damp had been completed.
Teak parquet flooring was laid in the main body of the church in 1969. During our refurbishment of the chapel, matching parquet, salvaged from the lobby was re-used over the filled in baptistry to match the rest of the retail area floor. Once sanded and varnished, the parquet looked as good as new. A darker area in the parquet reflects the position of an earlier stove (lower middle photo) that was used to heat the chapel.
To meet fire regulations the staircase to the mezzanine had to be enclosed. The staircase spindles were removed to facilitate this but were reused to form the balustrade that overlooks the retail area.
Gravestone Repairs
Two of the 54 gravestones were damaged. We had them repaired by Colin Avery, a stonemason specialising in conservation and restoration.
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Benjamin and Ann Biddlecombe’s box tomb at the front of the site. Ivy had forced its panels apart as the original iron cramps rusted away. These were carefully replaced with stainless steel fixings, the panels were gently drawn back into alignment and the joints resealed with lime mortar.
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George, Lydia and Isaac Miller’s headstone had broken in to two parts at some point in the past were on separate parts of the site.The two broken parts were reunited using stainless steel pins and the joint is now barely visible.
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Michael Phillips headstone was also considered for repair. However, given the fragile state of the stone, the risk of doing further damage outweighed the potential benefit.
External Stone Plaque
When East Boldre Community Stores purchased the chapel an external wooden sign high up on the front façade gave the dates that the chapel was built and rebuilt. This rather weathered sign was removed from the front façade so that it could be repainted.
Beneath it, the original stone sign was discovered. It was covered in a yellowed varnish and was cracked and chipped from the fixings for the wooden sign. Clearly the church was formerly known as Beaulieu Chapel and the stone sign can be seen in this early photo of the chapel (c. 1910) some 70 years after Beaulieu Rails was renamed East Boldre .
Advice from archaeologists was that the older sign should be retained, so this was cleaned and repaired. Professional signwriters then carefully repainted the lettering.
It can be seen on the front facade. With the repainted wooden sign on display in the lobby (bottom, far right).
