The Montagu Monuments are significant 18th century memorial sculptures in the Grade I listed St Edmund’s Church in Warkton, Northamptonshire. They were designed and sculpted by the famous Louis Francois Roubiliac and tell the story of three generations of a highly influential aristocratic family in Georgian history - the Montagues. Sadly, time and the elements have not been kind to the sculptures. A combination of structural deterioration, surface erosion and the cumulative effects of centuries of dirt, grime and accidental damage meant that the monuments were in urgent need of conservation. Since 2012, we have been working really hard to rescue these unique sculptures from decay, restoring them to their initial beauty and enabling the local community to come enjoy them at leisure. Now that the conservation works are complete, we need to implement an environmental heat control system that will help the monuments survive climate changes and humidity for many years to come.
What we'll deliver:
- Remove the existing storage heaters, which are not compatible with sophisticated controls
- Replace them with four new Ecowarmth heaters, controlled by central controls
- The controls will be automatic and regulated by feedback from sensors located on the church walls
- The new chancel heating will operate in conjunction with the existing church heating system
- We will train 3 community members on how to use the new Ecowarmth heaters
Why it's a great idea:
The Montagu Monuments are a series of one of a kind sculptures that play a central role in the history and collective memory of the small community of Warkton. They have been around for over 260 years and with your help, they can be safeguarded for yet another two centuries. These marble beauties have recently been restored and conserved. They need to be kept in a controlled environment, to avoid future erosion through humidity or moisture condensation. Ecowarmth heaters with a humidistat option are a sustainable alternative that will keep both the monuments and the sensitive building fabric safe. This means that more people can come enjoy St Edmund’s Church and more activities and events can be held on site, maximising the facilities’ potential to become a true community hub outside of religious service hours. The installation of this complex system will also offer skills training opportunities for staff and volunteers, ensuring that church members learn how to use it properly.
Steps to get it done:
- Hire a professional consultant to perform a building inspection and design the optimal engineering solution
- Install four Ecowarmth heaters at key points in the places where the monuments are found
- Install sensors that will feed information back to the heaters
- Train church members to operate the new Ecowarmth system
