There followed 25 years of lost

opportunities, disappointments and

decay. The building was soon put up for

sale and provoked much interest. It was

proposed that the site be cleared to allow

for 20 houses, but there were so many

objections that it was rejected following a

public inquiry. The Frome and District

Civic Society was formed in April 1970,

largely as a result of threats to the chapel,

and it proposed that the building be

converted into a hail for social functions

and public assemblies. Unfortunately the

then Frome Urban District Council

decided to use some money, that could

have been made available for the chapel,

on a modern dance hail facility that has

since closed ignominiously.

In 1973 the chapel was sold to a

development company which applied for

planning permission for conversion to six

suites of offices. This was refused by the

newly created Mendip District Council

so the building was sold and resold.

By 1983, despite despite the fact that

it was listed Grade 1, its condition had

continued to deteriorate because of

repeated break-ins by vandals and general

neglectful ownership. As the premier

building-at-risk in Somerset, it was

decided to serve a Repairs Notice on the

owners under the old Section 115. As this

was not complied with, the building was

acquired by compulsory purchase.

Before this Notice was served there

was much discussion between the local

authorities and the Somerset Building

Preservation Trust about ways to repair

the chapel and convert it for use by the

public. It was agreed that the County

Council would acquire the building and

pass it on to the Trust for a nominal sum.

The Trust would then carry out the

repairs by complying with the terms of

the Repairs Notice before handing it on

to Mendip District for an agreed price.

They in turn would fit it out for further

use by the people of Frome.

The County Council served the

Repairs Notice and acquired the chapel in

1990, passing it on to the Trust in

March 1991. Grant aid was offered by

English Heritage, Mendip District

Council and Frome Town Council, but

there was still a large deficit on estimated

project costs of £250,000. The

Architectural Heritage Fund offered a

low-interest loan of £100,000 and a

public appeal was launched which raised

£65,000 for the Trust.

Work started in October 1992 on

underpinning the foundations, grouting

the rubble walls, repairing ashlar stone,

repairing the roof joinery and replacing

its plain tile covering. The windows were

reglazed and the new plaster dome

installed. Burials beneath the floor caused

particular problems because they were

multi-layered and very close to areas of

underpinning. Where remains were

found these were put into small caskets

and reinterred under the new floor

following a service of dedication.

Work was completed in August 1993

by Meihuish and Saunders of Wells for

about £270,000. The project was

supervised by Andrew Lowe of Plincke,

Leaman and Browning (architects) and

Kenneth Brown (structural engineer).

The lesson to be learnt from this case

is that a Trust needs a way out from a

project in these recessionary times. Before

the Repairs Notice was served, an

agreement had been reached with

Mendip to acquire the chapel for a given

price at the end of the repair programme.

The District Council now intends to

press ahead with a landscaping and

floodlighting scheme and fit the building

out over the next two years.

Robert Ladd is Conservation Manager for Mendip

District Council

Rook Lane Chapel in March 1991.

And in 1993 after restoration.

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