Councillors made a special visit Tolpuddle to see the work going into restoring a historic building.

On Wednesday, August 24, Cllr Val Pothecary, chairman of Dorset Council, made a visit to the site of Tolpuddle Old Chapel to view the progress of the renovation works on this historic listed building.

For the past eight months detailed renovation work of the has been carried out by Sally Strachey Historic Conservation (SSHC) and Greendale Construction.

READ MORE: Restoration work starts Tolpuddle Old Chapel

Dorset Echo: Tolpuddle Chapel in 2014 before renovation work started. Pitcure: TOCT.

Cllr Pothecary was accompanied by Graham Iszatt and Cllr Pauline Batstone, the former chairman of Dorset Council.

The party was shown around the site by Andrew McCarthy, chair of the Tolpuddle Old Chapel Trust (TOCT) and trustee, professor Philip Martin.

The group viewed the detailed repair work carried out on the unique two hundred year old cob walls of the Old Chapel which was built by the Tolpuddle Labourers (Dorchester Labourers/Tolpuddle Martyrs) in 1818.

They also viewed the huge newly renovated roof trusses and the walls of the small extension to the building.

Cllr Pothecary said: “Today has been a wonderful opportunity to view the renovation work at Tolpuddle Old Chapel. It was fascinating to see skilled stone masons carrying out such intricate work on restoring the 200-year-old cob structure back to its original condition.

"It is hard to overstate the importance of this unique listed building and I was really interested to see it first hand and to understand the part that the Tolpuddle Labourers played in building and worshipping within its cob walls."

Dorset Council said it was pleased to support this project with a grant which will remove the building from Historic England’s 'At Risk Register'.

READ MORE: £50,000 is needed to restore a chapel used by the Tolpuddle Martyrs

Dorset Echo: Architect’s design for renovated Tolpuddle Old Chapel. Picture: Architecton, Bristol.

Mr McCarthy said: “It is good to welcome the Chairman of Dorset Council to our construction site.

"TOCT trustees are grateful for the support Dorset Council has shown to the project by their grant of £30,000 and their loan of £50,000 to aid the project cash flow over the construction period."

In the future there are plans to build a new extension to support events and activities situated adjacent to the east wall of the chapel as well as create a pilot schools programme, engaging students with the history of Tolpuddle and the Tolpuddle Labourers.