Edward Brown moved to Skirlaugh with his wife in the late 1970s to be a director of a large company in Hull but not long afterwards he was made redundant when he was still in his mid-fifties.  Being unable to secure another job, he turned his attention to St Augustine’s Church. He recognised the beauty of the building and noted that it was in need of repair.  He always fancied trying his hand at stonemasonry, and so, with the blessing of the vicar and the then church architect, Ronald Sims, he went to London to take part in a six-month stonemasonry course, which he funded himself and in which he came top of the class.

Edward was quite a character.  He famously said to the then vicar, Revd David Perry, “David, get up off your knees and come and help me!”  And David did just that.  They got on very well together. 

When this monumental 10-year task of cleaning and pointing the church inside and out, and replacing worn stones and carving new crosses, was completed he turned his attention to overhauling the heating system, removing the old wooden platforms on which the pews stood and laying a new floor.  He received no remuneration for any of this work.  A truly magnificent effort. 

On his return to Skirlaugh, Edward embarked on a comprehensive programme of restoration on which he worked for 40 hours each week for ten years, from 1981 to 12991.  An amazing feat! He discovered where the original stone for the church had come from and bought a second-hand car specifically to transport stone from the quarry near Tadcaster which had been its source when it was originally built.  He bought his own stonemasonry tools ( see them on display here) and had a studio built in his garden in which he worked.

From the British Sundial Society

A CRAFTSMAN’S HAND HELPED SKIRLAUGH SUNDIAL TO LIVE ON

The stories behind most of our sundials are lost in the fathomless mists of the time they measure; but I was fortunate enough recently to come across a personal account of the partial restoration of a vertical stone dial which must stand as a testimony to the quiet dedication and committed work of one Yorkshireman, Edward Brown.

The church which bears this dial is St Augustine’s Parish Church in Skirlaugh, East Yorkshire.  It’s a stunning building of Grade 1 listing which has been described as being ‘the most perfect example of early Perpendicular architecture in any English parish church’.

I believe there will be respect among our readership for such restoration work by a craftsman with a love for the material on which he worked.   He must have been a worthy descendant of those long-ago stonemasons who brought this church into being.

Margaret Ribchester British Sundial Society 

Edward Brown : Catalogue of Works 1981 to 1991

  • New door into ringing chamber
  • Removal of two pews inside front door
  • New tower door on to nave roof
  • Provision of duck boards on nave roof
  • Stonework repairs in tower staircase
  • Excavation and refurbishment of drainage system
  • Swapping of oil tanks with Village Hall, abolition of iron coal shed and siting below ground of oil tank with new access to boiler house (31) (34)
  • New finial to north-east tower pinnacle
  • New label stop over priest’s doorway (11)
  • Renewal and painting of downcomers
  • Repointing & making up in stone & concrete in blind shaft
  • Cleaning of external stonework (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
  • Renewal of eroded stone at all levels (12)(13)(14)(15)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)
  • Demolition: pew platforms, dado & floor preparations(30)
  • Fixing of new statue of St Augustine (by Fiona Bowley) (32)
  • Raking out, grouting & pointing over entire external fabric
  • Ditto inside, especially internal tower walls from ground floor up through ringing chamber & to top of bell chamber
  • Clearance of south west corner of church, paving and resiting of the font (et al)
  • Transfer of water supply and sink facility from vestry to west end (et al)
  • New crosses : east window and south porch (9)(33)
  • Replacement of ringing chamber floor (& D Wilkinson)
  • Restoration of south, north & vestry doors (6) (7)
  • Glazing of tower quarterfoil light
  • Sealing ringing chamber sand bell chamber floors
  • Restoration of sundial (9) (29)
  • Restoration of priest’s doorway, including fitting new stainless steel pintails (10) (11)
  • Restoration of priest’s door (with D Wilkinson)