Chancel
To express the different function of the chancel and main worship area, the use of Purbeck stone walls (with the connection of the Purbecks to St. Aldhelm after whom the church is dedicated) and a slate roof to this area will contrast with the area in general community use. The stone selected is Purbeck spangle, which is quarried from a site close to St Aldhelm’s Head. This is a Jurassic Limestone with fossil and crystalline inclusions. It has a warm greyish colour and, due to the inclusions, has a rich ‘texture.’ This stone is used to form the internal and external faces of the Chancel walls above plinth level. The stone plinth, which is around the entire building, is also of Purbeck Spangle, but used in a smooth finish.
The structure is to be expressed internally. This will be of natural and ‘glue-lam’ timbers, to compliment the tranquil aesthetic of the other internal surfaces – predominantly brick, stone and timber.