I just had to include this job in my weekly blog after sweeping this Aga Little Wenlock multi-fuel stove at an address in Nosterfield End recently. This is actually an address that I have been sweeping annually for a number of years now and usually I don’t see anything like the quantity of combustion deposits coming out of the chimney as I did on this occasion. As you can see from the photograph the material swept out of the chimney nearly filled the firebox. These combustion deposits were as you can see largely comprised of crunchy, smelly tar/creosote. I questioned the customer about his current burning practices, and it transpired that he had switched from burning smokeless fuel to exclusively just burning wood. I suspect that some of this wood was probably not completely seasoned, and the stove has been burnt with not enough oxygen going into it. It just shows how such changes can radically alter what builds up in the chimney. In this instance these deposits would have presented a real risk of a chimney fire if they had not been swept out of the chimney. The customer is now going to start burning some smokeless fuel again, and switch to biannual sweeping – A very sensible move I think.

Here we are again sweeping for the Bishop of Chelmsford and we are quite some way from home, sweeping the Rectory at Rawreth. The rectory itself is a modern 1960’s house with a lined chimney. It was nice and easy to sweep with brush and rods, and not particularly dirty, so it allowed us a little time to look at the church which was just over the road.

This is an interesting church, because it was substantially rebuilt and refurnished in the early 1880s to the designs of Father Ernest Geldart who we have met before at a number of Essex churches, but most notably at the one where he was rector for many years, Little Braxted. The tower was retained along with the arcades. All the furnishings were designed by Geldart, and even the stained glass and mosaics, which were made for him as usual by the firm of Cox, Sons & Buckley.

Geldart is interesting because he used medieval forms more commonly found in non-ecclesiastical buildings to create worship spaces for extremely high Anglo-Catholic liturgy. That tradition has gone here now, but the fixtures and fittings survive – just. A few years after Geldart’s restoration the earthquake caused considerable damage, and then there was blast damage in WWII. There was a massive restoration 1986-90 which cost £75,000, but already the south chancel wall is collapsing, and the floor of the sanctuary breaking up, all the tiles coming loose. It is hard to see how they will rescue it. There are murmurings of redundancy, but I suspect that it simply isn’t a significant enough church for the CCT to take it on. Thoughts provoked, we left the narrow band of countryside and, re-entering urban sprawl, came to Wickford.

I sweep a significant number of Parkray Multi-Fuel room heaters, particularly when we are working for Eastlight Community Homes around the Braintree area. In those instances, the Parkrays all look like the traditional model versions of this classic design. The only thing that differentiates these different models of Parkray are the configuration of their baffle plates, and how they fit into the appliance – Some slide in and out, whilst others are on hined brackets and drop down from the front into the stove. However, the other day I came across this unusual Parkray Multi-Fuel Insert Stove at an address in Bardfield Saling. As you can see from the photograph, this appliance is markedly different than the classic Parkray design. This room heater has a much more contemporary design, with clean straight lines and coming in black. Something just a little bit different from Parkray.

Parkray are now part of the Hunter group of stove manufactures. Hunter Stoves were founded in the West Country in 1970 and now manufacture their stoves at a site near Exeter. Hunter bought the Parkray company in 2003 and absorbed the brand into its product range. In 2008 Hunter Stoves bought a site a Camelford in Cornwall as a research and development department, but they now produce some stoves there as well. In 2015 the company rebranded as the Hunter Stoves Group and now produce such brands as; Herald, HS Gas, Di Lusso, Avalon, Cleanburn, Eco-ideal and Parkray.

Hunter Stoves Limited
8 Emperor Way, Exeter Business Park, Exeter, EX1 3QS

https://hunterstoves.co.uk/

Here is a very functional and business like looking stove and not a model of Capital stoves that I have come across before, although I do sweep quite a few of the other Capital models, the Capital Qube in particular. I tend to see more of these Capital stoves in and around Bishops Stortford and into Hertfordshire, so I’m thinking that there is an installer in that area that sells and installs Capital stoves, as I don’t tend to see them much in other parts of the area we cover. Business like this stove is according to the customer who told me that it was very efficient and that he was very pleased with its performance – He said that it heats the room very well even on the coldest of days.

Capital Stoves are located in Henlow Bedfordshire where they have a showroom. They produce a number of other freestanding stove models as well as the Bassington, these include the Avebury, the Ashbrook, the Panamera, the Qube, the Holsworthy, the ridgmont, the Savona, the Scene, the Viga Edge, the Sigma, the Verena and the Woodrow 4 & 5. They also produce the Ashbrook, and the Savona in cassette versions.

Capitals marketing information tells us that: Capital Fireplaces was established over 30 years ago to manufacture and supply high quality, elegant and affordable fireplaces crafted from natural materials. Since then the company has expanded and developed to become one of the leading UK trade suppliers of fireplaces, fires and stoves. Our manufacturing and fabrication facilities are strategically located to utilise both the most advanced manufacturing technology available and the highest quality skills. Established long term relationships with quarries and foundries with highly efficient fabricators coupled with the unique experience and skills of the stone masons employed provide the backbone for the stringent quality and manufacturing standards we can achieve with our collection.

Capital Fireplace Studio, Unit 1a, Henlow Trading Estate, Henlow, Bedfordshire, SG16 6DS

T: 01462 813138

E: marketing@capitalfireplaces.co.uk

https://www.capitalfireplaces.co.uk/showroom/

Here is a real oddity, I recently came across this stove in Radwinter and really didn’t know what to make of it, I’ve never seen one quite like it before. I don’t know if any of the readers of this blog have seen a stove like this one before and might know what the make and model is? The customer told me that it is a Norwegian make of stove, but it is so long since he bought it and had it installed, he could not remember the name of the make and model and no longer has any paperwork for it. He did say that they have lived in their property for a very long time and that the stove was installed many, many years ago. The only stove manufacturers that I know that are Norwegian are; Jotul, Nordpeise, Kernow and Rais, none of which make a stove that looks like this one and it is difficult to find out if they ever did. On the plus side the customer says that the stove works exceedingly well and that when it is burning, it heats the whole of the downstairs of the house. Excellent!

To my mind it looks a bit space age, like a battle drone ready for combat on a planet at the outer rim of the universe! What do you think it reminds you of?

I recently came across this Antique Gardeco Amblecote Wood-Burning Stove at an address in Great Thurlow. To be honest I was a little perplexed as I could not decide whether this stove is truly an antique stove or whether it is a copy of an antique stove. It is very difficult looking at the stove to decide whether it is really old or whether with the traditional, ornate design it is just made to look old. The customer reported that although the stove is old fashioned and only has a small firebox, it does throw out a large amount of heat when it is in operation – He is therefore very pleased with the operation of the stove.

I did try to find out a bit about Gardeco as a stove manufacturer by doing a Google search, but unfortunately I found out very little. I did find a number of Gardeco Amblecote Wood-Burning Stoves for sale and images of the same stove on pinterest. There is a webste for a company of the same name, Gardeco based in that makes fire pits and chimeneas, so presumably this is the same company that makes the stoves? They are based in Kidderminster in the Midlands – https://www.gardeco.co.uk/ticket.php

Another exotic thatched animal for todays blog, a majestic lion, but king of the jungle is a real misnomer as everyone knows that the lion lives in the African savannah. What is certain hear is that this fellow certainly is a handsome chap, if not a little incongruous sight on the roof of a thatched cottage in Britain? I like him though, I think you must admit that he has a certain style, perhaps class and certainly a dominating presence. Real gravitas if ever I saw it!

The lion (Panthera leo) is a species in the family Felidae and a member of the genus Panthera. It has a muscular, deep-chested body, short, rounded head, round ears, and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adult male lions have a prominent mane. With a typical head-to-body length of 184–208 cm (72–82 in) they are larger than females at 160–184 cm (63–72 in). It is a social species, forming groups called prides. A lion pride consists of a few adult males, related females and cubs. Groups of female lions usually hunt together, preying mostly on large ungulates. The lion is an apex and keystone predator; although some lions scavenge when opportunities occur and have been known to hunt humans, the species typically does not.

Typically, the lion inhabits grasslands and savannas, but is absent in dense forests. It is usually more diurnal than other big cats, but when persecuted it adapts to being active at night and at twilight. During the Neolithic period, the lion ranged throughout Africa, Southeast Europe, and Western and South Asia but today it has been reduced to fragmented populations in sub-Saharan Africa and one critically endangered population in western India. It has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1996 because populations in African countries have declined by about 43% since the early 1990s. Lion populations are untenable outside designated protected areas. Although the cause of the decline is not fully understood, habitat loss and conflicts with humans are the greatest causes for concern.

One of the most widely recognised animal symbols in human culture, the lion has been extensively depicted in sculptures and paintings, on national flags, and in contemporary films and literature. Lions have been kept in menageries since the time of the Roman Empire and have been a key species sought for exhibition in zoological gardens across the world since the late 18th century. Cultural depictions of lions were prominent in Ancient Egypt, and depictions have occurred in virtually all ancient and medieval cultures in the lion’s former and current ranges.

Here is a selection of Lion poems I found on the internet:

The Lion by Hilaire Belloc

The Lion, the Lion, he dwells in the Waste,
He has a big head and a very small waist;
But his shoulders are stark, and his jaws they are grim,
And a good little child will not play with him.

The Lion by Waytoolost

The Lion is a predator.
The Lion is not the type of leader you think it is.
It is the type of leader to be admired from afar.
The Lion is the type of leader that everyone respects and no-one wants to anger.
The Lion is brave, quiet, courageous and powerful.
The Lion is the King.
Nothing will ever change that The Lion is King.
When you see The King, you better be running because you know, you don’t stand a chance.

Perhaps my favourite lion poem, certainly the funniest, this offering from the pen of Spike Milligan.

If you’re attacked by a Lion
Find fresh underpants to try on
Lay on the ground quite still
Pretend you are very ill
Keep like that day after day
Perhaps the lion will go away

I do see a lot of Mendip stoves in and around the area, but not so much around Saffron Walden, but in the main I find them in and around the Royston area, and I can’t think of seeing any in Suffolk around Haverhill etc. I’m thinking that there must be a stove installer somewhere in the Royston area that installs Mendip stoves, which would explain the concentration in that area. Havin said all that I sweep this Mendip Loxton 8 Double-sided Woodburning Stove at an address in Arkesden and have done so for many years now, indeed, the original occupiers of the house where this stove is located have moved on and I now sweep for the new occupiers. As you can see from the photograph it is quite a large double-sided stove that heats two large rooms. The customer reports that it is very efficient at heating both rooms and is very pleased with the stove’s performance. To be honest, although I think it is an impressive, stylish stove, it is not my favorite appliance to dismantle and sweep. Unfortunately like most Mendip stoves it seems to be over engineered and with no thought to the poor chimney sweep who has to clean and service the appliance. In fact, some of the components have to be unbolted to dismantle the stove, which is never a good idea where high temperatures are involved. I suppose that is all part of being a busy chimney sweep!

 Mendip’s internet blurb states: Mendip Stoves is a family business with our roots set firmly based in Somerset; we have been established since 2008 manufacturing quality wood and multi-fuel stoves. Our combined experience in the stove industry and knowledge of the European stove market enables us to manufacture exceptional appliances designed for the UK Market.

We only sell Mendip stoves through a specially selected group of retailers who are committed to wood burning, respected for their knowledge of freestanding and inset stoves. Each retailer can assess your requirements and recommend a stove that will suit your need and lifestyle. Most provide a complete supply and fit service for peace of mind.

Mendip Stoves is a family business with our roots set firmly based in Somerset; we have been established since 2008 manufacturing quality wood and multi-fuel stoves. Our combined experience in the stove industry and knowledge of the European stove market enables us to manufacture exceptional appliances designed for the UK Market.

We only sell Mendip stoves through a specially selected group of retailers who are committed to wood burning, respected for their knowledge of freestanding and inset stoves. Each retailer can assess your requirements and recommend a stove that will suit your need and lifestyle. Most provide a complete supply and fit service for peace of mind.

Unit H1
Mendip Industrial Estate
Mendip Road
Rooksbridge
Somerset
BS26 2UG

01173156207

info@eurostove.co.uk

https://www.mendipstoves.co.uk/

Here is quite a popular stove and a relatively new name on the block, Chilli Penguin Stoves. You might remember that I have previously had a blog featuring the Chilli Penguin Chubby 5 Stove. I recently swept this example of a Chilli Penguin Woody 5 Multi-Fuel Stove at an address in Haverhill. They are smart looking, business like and efficient with nice clean lines and a flashy logo badge on the front of the stove. They are one of the stove models that are installed by Cut Maple Stoves from New England near Haverhill, as this stove was installed by them in 2021. To my mind, the Chilli Penguin stoves look rather like some of the Dean Forge range of stoves, which is another manufacturer that is installed by Cut Maple Stoves. The customer is certainly pleased with their Chilli Penguin stove, and told us that they couldn’t believe just how much heat the stove throughout, but that it was very economical in its fuel usage.

I must admit that Chilli Penguin is a rather unusual name for a stove company, but they do have a very attractive range of stoves, which include: The Chilli Billie, The Short Penguin, The Chubby 5, The Hungry Penguin and the Hungry Penguin Tall, The Fat Penguin, The High & Mighty, The High & Mighty tall, The Stock Cube, The Fusby, The Woody, The Penguin 7, The Seventy Ate 78 and the Penguin Idris 7Kw.

Chilli Penguin are a small family run business located near the stunning coastline of the Llŷn Peninsula in North Wales. What inspires and excites us is beautiful, functional design. We love things that look amazing and perform brilliantly. We love fire and steel. We love the idea of stoves, objects that warm homes and lives, that can be fueled by a renewable resource like trees. We want our stoves to burn as efficiently and cleanly as possible, a number of our stoves are already Ecodesign compliant.

Chilli Penguin Showroom
10 Glan y Don Industrial estate
Pwllheli
Gwynedd
LL53 5YT

01758 721 247

https://chillipenguin.co.uk/about/about-us/

This stove was installed by Cut Maple Stoves in Sturmer/New England:

Cut Maple Stove & Fire Company,

Sturmer Road,

New England,

Halstead CO9 4BB

Telephone: 01440 788788

Email: cutmaple@fireplacesetc.co.uk

Website: http://www.fireplacesetc.co.uk

Here we are sweeping for the Bishop of Chelmsford again, and on this occasion it was the vicarage at Margaretting near Ingatestone, close to Chelmsford. We have swept the vicarage chimney on around four or five occasions now and are quite familiar with it. To be honest it is a really quick job, an open fire with a modern lined chimney that is swept regularly (by me), and that only has occasional use. So on this occasion as we didn’t have a particularly busy day and the job only took a small amount of time, we could spend a few moments examining what is a beautiful medieval church. A church that I would say is architecturally classically Essex with its wooden bell cote and spire.

The church is grade two star listed and the listed buildings website provides a great deal of information about the history and architecture of the building: A flint and stone rubble church of Norman origin but almost completely rebuilt in the early-mid C15, with a timber-framed, weatherboarded and shingled west tower with a broach spire. The roofs to the nave, chancel and aisle are tiled. The chancel was altered in the C16 and the church was much altered by restoration in 1877. A portion of the north wall to the east of the north porch is of Norman work and incorporates Roman tiles. The most important features of the church are the C15 west tower and north porch. The tower is supported on 10 posts with shores and cross bracing (of, Churches at Stock, Navestock and Blackmore, Essex). The lower stage is faced in vertical weatherboarding and has a tiled, hipped, roof. The upper stage and broach spire is shingled. The north porch has cusped
bargeboards and traceried side lights. The doorway has a 4-centred arch with traceried spandrels and the oak door is of the same period, partly renewed. The king post roof to the nave is C15 and the chancel roof is C16. The chancel has a Tree of Jesse window which is made up of C15 Flemish glass, fragments from earlier windows built into its present position in the restoration of 1877.

Fittings include a C15 octagonal font carved with emblems and a grotesque head, a carved alabaster wall monument to John Tanfield of Coptfold Hall (dated 1625), A C16 brass of Robert Sedge, his wife and children, of “Shenfield” (now known as “Killigrews”) and the lower part of a C15 rood screen. The 4 bells in the belfry are all of pre-Reformation date.