Saint
Georges Anglican Round Church
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Acorn
Timber Frames (now Timberhart Woodworks) won their award
from the Timber
Framers Guild for the restoration of the 44.2 ton
timber frame dome, which was destroyed by fire, on top
of Saint George's Anglican Round Church in Halifax Nova
Scotia Canada. Once again, the weathervane erected to
commemorate the sighting of Halley's comet in 1835 tops
the gilded cupola that soars 80' above the street. The
12' cupola sits atop a 46' twelve-spoked dome, which
in turn, crowns the 60' diameter cathedral-ceiling church.
The simple but elegant interior design with its three
balconies are now restored.
The original church was completed in 1801 most likely by
shipwrights from the Royal Navy. In 1994, the strength of
the timber frame structure, the congregation, and the community
all were tested when a fire started by children in the basement
shot out through the roof and destroyed thirty percent of
the structure, including the 46' dome roof. In the illustration,
the shaded area of the cross-section indicates what was
destroyed by fire. The rest of the building suffered only
smoke and water damage.
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As
the structure was a timber frame, the church did not burn to the
ground. The charring penetrated the lower posts and girts to a depth
of 1.5" or less, and parts of the walls were declared sound.
A team of architects, engineers, contractors, and Acorn Timber
Frames (now Timberhart Woodworks) as well as other Nova Scotian
craftspeople worked in close consultation with heritage groups,
historians and the Church's congregation. The challenge was to
restore the Church similar to its original designwhile meeting
modern day building codes.
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Examination
& Redesign
With this aim in mind, we began studying the various sketches
and studies that had been done over the years, including
those from students of local art colleges and technical
universities. Charred remains of the dome roof were examined
for dimensions, joinery and design. In timber framing, knowledge
is passed down hand to hand. Examining a timber frame of
this magnitude and complexity, created centuries before
by timberwrights/shipwrights, was revealing, tantalizing
and left lots of room to wonder and puzzle about the question,
"How did they do this and why this way?"
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Sourcing
Materials
When timber framer Daniel Reagan of Acorn Timber Frames (now Timberhart
Woodworks) went searching for the heavy timbers to rebuild the
church, he spent a lot of time climbing trees. He was able to find
enough #1 pine in Nova Scotia for all the timber. When small wood
lot owners were asked for their crooked trees, they looked at us
with small smiles and shook their head until we explained that
the trees were for a dome roof. Since the province is windy, we
were able to locate the ninety naturally-curved timbers.
When
we told Rev. Gary Thorne that the timber needed for the spoke
girt to support the 40 ton dome was coming from a place called
Hell's Gate, he laughed and said, "We believe in transformation."
This timber, 11 x 14", 46' long and over 195 years old, was
a seedling when the original church was completed. Too long for
any sawmill in the province, it was milled in the woods with an
Alaskan chainsaw mill.
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A
crew of four timber framers were on site for the summer, repairing
the existing timber frame structure. Two posts (32' high at the
front entrance) were replaced,and other posts with varying amounts
of damage were spliced into and repaired. Some repairs and reinforcing
were required for the first balcony, while the top balcony into
which the new dome would tie, was totally replaced.Back at the shop,
an hour's drive away, the estimated 2,200 hours of joinery for the
dome roof was under way. |
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All
of the timbers were pre-cut and fitted in the shop
before being shipped to the city for assembly. In order
to meet the tolerances required (1/32"), a lofting
deck was constructed with the construction lines of the
46' dome laid out, similar to a sailmaker's loft. A model
of two spoke sections of the roof was built on the lofting
deck. Using 1" boards and string, we determined the
different curvatures for the purlins.
The
circular dome, which consists of twelve spokes with
tusk tenon connecting girts, demanded
tight tolerances. Just being out 1/16 of an inch a few
times would mean the last section would
not fit. Some steel (all stainless) was used in the structure.
However, it was all routered in to fit
flush and designed to be tightened as required.
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a crew was assembling the 46' dome rafter (with 35 different joint
connections into the spoke girt) at the beamery, another crew was
on site pre-assembling the 17' posts on the other spoke rafter bents.
(We had to invent some names for the many pieces!) The only
place to pre-assemble them was in the sloped church courtyard on
top of the temporary concrete piers. The spoke bents were then stacked
15' high in two piles on the lawn of the house next door! Then the
primary 46' bent was assembled and raised. The other bents were
craned in one at a time until the last one was snugged into place
on the first try. (Thank you to those who watch over timberwrights!) |
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Saint
George's Rises Again
The day of the raising dawned sunny with low winds (we needed
15 knots or less). The raising of the 44.2 ton dome roof was
wondrous enough that many people took time off from work and
school to witness it. Three sling points down to six slings
went through the roof and hooked onto steel girders set underneath
the spoke girts. As the dome lifted up, a hush fell over the
crowd, and intakes of breath spoke both wonderment and prayers.
The roof fit within 1" of the circumference of
the eccentric walls, which had changed over time and had been
warped by the intense heat of the fire. |
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Time
Capsule
After
the dome was in place, the cupola, with its weathervane was installed.
Photos of the builders and others involved in the restoration
were placed within a time capsule on the weathervane. Replaced
as well were other items from the original installation, including
a rolled piece of newspaper describing the prices of goods and
the arrival of merchant ships in the port of Halifax.
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An
Enriching Experience For All
We
love our trade, and not simply to earn a living and to work
with wood, which we both enjoy very much. Our lives are
enriched by getting to know the people for whom we build.
In the case of Saint George's, we attended church services,
and invited members of the congregation to our beamery to
view the process and to the woods to see the selecting of
trees. The oak "tree nails" that would peg the
structure were blessed by Rev. Thorne. Then the parishioners
and all those involved in the restoration were invited to
sign the pegs. The children joined in by decorating the
posts, which would later be encased, with pictures of Saint
George and the Dragon.
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| Throughout
the process of restoring Saint George's Church, the rich history
of timber framing, forged by the skilled craftsman of two centuries
ago, was uncovered for us to study and to learn. Many timber frames
standing today are centuries old, and they are testimony to this
most durable and versatile form of building. It was a real honour
to rebuild a church with the restoration team and all the Nova Scotian
craftspeople involved and to continue the tradition of timber joineryfrom
yesteryear. |
| Donations
for the restoration may be sent to:
Saint
George's Restoration
2222 Brunswick Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada B3K 2Z3
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Left:
Ceremonial pegging of the first bent performed by Bekah Regan.
The peg was signed by the daughter of Mary and Edward Wood, who
were married at Saint George's in 1904.
Right:
Assembling the 46-footer on the lofting deck: Thirty-five joint
connections are in this one timber, part of an eight-foot curved
rafter.
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The
Details
Owner: Saint George's Anglican Church
Timber Frame Company: Acorn Timber Frames Ltd. (now Timberhart
Woodworks)
Structural Engineers:
Dome and Belfry:
Malcom Pinto Engineering Ltd.
Lower Structure Restoration:
Brandy's MacBride Richardson Engineering Ltd.
Timber Frame Design:
Malcolm Pinto Engineering, Acorn Timber Frames Ltd.
Architects:
Fower Bauld Mitchell Architects Ltd., Mettam Group Architects
Ltd.
Contractor:
Hanscomb Consultants Inc.
Cranes:
Pre-Assembly:
Owen Keddy's Crane Ltd.
Installation of Dome Roof:
Sagadore Cranes Ltd.
Location:
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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