Members of the Friends were invited to a stained glass and leaded lights conservation day at All Souls Church, Astley Bridge, Bolton, part of a series of free conservation days.
The leaded light windows in the church are being restored by Pendle Stained Glass, Padiham, the company that rescued the William Morris stained glass in the then derelict St. Mary’s Church, Nelson many years ago. 
The firm’s conservators provided us with excellent demonstrations of how stained glass is restored and the many problems that can be encountered.
We also had an entertaining talk from Jill Channer, a glass historian who has worked on some of the finest stained glass windows, followed by a hands-on demonstration of sash window and cylinder and crown glass conservation by the surveyor Alan Gardner. Alan has worked with Heritage Trust for the North West on a number of projects, including the Edgar Wood Centre, Long Street, Middleton.
After lunch, we went on a detailed tour of the restoration works, paying special attention to the windows. This was led by Adrian Walker of the Bamber Bridge firm, Lambert Walker, which is the principal conservation contractor at All Souls, working alongside the main contractor, Carefoot plc of Longridge, Ribble Valley. Lambert Walker recently restored Spring Cottage, near St. Mary’s Church, Nelson while Carefoot are currently building the new Manchester Road Railway Station, Burnley.
All Soul’s Church is in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust and is being converted to a community centre, using a freestanding modern ‘pod’ in the middle of the large church building.
