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Wednesday 6 January 2021

The Old Vicarage Syndrome

The Old Vicarage Syndrome?  Yes.  When the CofE was rich they built vicarages in fine style and BIG.  Many survive but few still serve as vicarages.  They are the preserve of the secular rich who may be better able to maintain them or, most importantly HEAT them.  Hence the OV Syndrome - the vicar would retreat into a small self-contained part of the building while the rest remained unheated during the cold months of winter.  Then come spring the grander larger part would be re-occupied after 'spring cleaning' of course.

We are in a similar situation just now - the main tower is cold, both downstairs and above.  The underfloor gas-heated water pipes are getting no heat - possibly because their horribly complicated room thermostats have thrown in the towel.   The boiler is working fine, thanks to its service and is heating the Terminal 1 new annex - the kitchen, a WC and utility room.  The brand new bit (Terminal 2) is electrically heated and is warm as toast.   The rest, the stone tower is off limits for now.  Luke the plumber had seen there was a problem when he serviced the boiler and got it going.  We had a new boiler in late 2018 and he suspects that was incorrectly fitted, either in its plumbing or (more likely) its electrics.   He is liaising with electrician Steve Dinsdale and we shall try to sort it out but meanwhile the Combined Terminals 1 and 2 are proving an ideal winter retreat for the 'vicar', his wife and cat.

The room thermostats may be replaced with straightforward 'on/off and temperature' dial types.

Meanwhile it is cold.   Here is this morning's webcam image from Ribblehead station:



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