My office for the day.

Temperatures are rising, here in South Devon, so it was pleasant to be working in the cool of this charming little church today.

I have been working next door and visited the church, on my lunch break. The church does not have regular services, or a congregation and is looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust. Even though it's out of the way, someone had vandalised the pulpit, smashing one of the panels. There was a sign asking for donations, so I got in touch with the Trust and went one better, offering to fix it. I fell in love with the pulpit straight away. It's 17thC and made from riven oak, how could I not!

Guilloches and arcading. Lovely.

The panel that was smashed, was itself a modern replacement; a flat thin piece of oak, which was probably why the miscreant was able to smash it. The original panels are all thicker, with axed chamfers on the reverse, as we would expect on 17th C furniture.

So, first up, drill out the pegs, carefully, with spoon bits and brace.

And extract any remaining pieces.