Tuesday 2 August

Yesterday, Monday, the excavators started removing trees from the site. It is fairly brutal work. They attack the tree breaking off limbs and as much of the trunk as they can. Then they dig around the stump before lifting the whole thing out of the ground. The excavators were also used to remove the top soil which was of a high quality. It is now in large mounds around the cleared site and will be put back in place when the building is finished.

In the afternoon I heard a loud sound and wondered what had happened. It was a port-a-loo for the demolishers being dropped on site.

This morning I saw a demolisher with a mask and special gear bringing out all the asbestos sheets which had been used for the ceilings. These were then wrapped and taken away to a special facility. More and more of the cottage had been disappearing but after lunch a huge excavator got to work ripping into the fabric and contents. I was watching one fellow manipulate the huge claws to lift out the bath when the fellow who was hosing the debris to keep down the dust suddenly turned and ran towards me. He didn't want to be under the bath as it passed over him. It was dumped with a loud bang onto the grass in front of the (ex-)cottage.

With the big equipment the site can be dangerous, so it is best to be obvious. Maurie gave me four bright safety vests for the brethren to use when on site. Des and I wore them while looking at the site after lunch. Then along came Johny and Gabriel similarly attired and looking quite dashing I thought. Johny complained his vest was not big enough. But it did the job. He was quite obvious.

Greg and Des

Johny vested

Now where is the new priory?  Des, Gabriel and Greg

Trucks have been coming in to take away the material from the cottage and the timber from the trees. There will be more trucks coming and going tomorrow. There will not be much left of the cottage by tomorrow evening.

The shell of the cottage