Grizz's Redneck Express 1966 Chevy Short Fleetside RESTO-GO!

[Grizz1963]

Mad as it seems to some, there are certain jobs that need to be done for various reasons, including making space.

Nicola, her dad, brothers etc were all born in the same village Hoo St Werburgh.

Recently she found out that the local Parish Church had borer beetle/woodworm and the whole wooden floor was being removed and all the pews sold off.

They are claimed to be over 150 years old.

She opted to buy a pew, except when I fetched it, they were about 9 foot long. So I made an executive decision and returned the long bench and managed to buy for the same money a broken 6 foot one, also infested with woodworm, but more useable to us.

The church.



A bit of history.

St. Werburgh was the daughter of King Wulfhere of Mercia, and niece of King Æthelred, his brother and successor. She was born between 640 and 650.

The first church of Hoo St Werburgh may have been built in the reign of the 8th century King Æthelbald of Mercia, though presumably a monastery existed nearby at an earlier time.[3] This, together with land at Hoo All Hallows, is likely to have been placed under the rule of the leading Mercian monastery of Medeshamstede, now known as Peterborough.[4]

A significant, and possibly unique, feature of this ancient parish church are the two Royal hatchments of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I. Recently these have been restored and can be viewed in the church.

The Reverend Ferdinando Booth of the same family as Archbishop Lawrence Booth was Vicar here from 1675-1680.

The parish records of 1851 gave the population as 1,065.

As bought.



Note the marks on the sides where "repairs" had been attempted, seemingly with a large hammer. Unfortunately the repairs I planned were going to be functional, rather than restorative.



I had to fill the holes where screws and nails previously resided as they were oversized. Used large, deep reaching screws, and will make plugs from some vintage wood to cover the holes behind the screw heads.



I also suggested removing the central leg as it was nailed into place, with one nail and served little purpose.

Not one to throw it on the fire wood pile, Nicola made me turn it into a candle holder. I made her come to the wood shed and do it herself.



Originally the plan was just repair and use, but it turned into a bit more, as the woodworm poison instructions suggested cleaning varnish off to get better penetration.



Sanded, ready for poison application.



Poison applied, drying out.

Next step will be a few coats of penetrating emulsified wood oil.



And so ended my Saturday.

Sunday was rain, so no bootfairs and we went to Whitstable for a walk about, visiting her brother and awesome fish and chips lunch.