It’s easier for me to give the following churches their individual post. The people involved deserve a special mention too. I had a cameo role in this mini-project and have to thank the following for the support. The sponsors, who without, this wouldn’t have happened- The Dart Valley Fund and BBH Architects. BeWild for their enthusaism with creating the initial contact, helping with funding, and everything they do for conservation and communities. The PCC’s, bell ringers, and churchgoers at all of the churches. The installation helpers Alistair and Jon, mostly for entertaining me when they mistook a buoy for a trapped seal at St. Petrox for an hour! Tim Willson, who dropped everything at a moments notice every time I spontaneously requested access to install in the churches. The Swift Champion volunteers. Lastly, but not leastly, Kevin Cox and the Swift Project team.
The Dartmouth and Dittisham installations link up well with other installations on the Dart, particularly the Totnes churches and Nick Mallalieu’s installation at Ashprington which had its first colonised nests in 2025. We’ve also had enquiries from Cornworthy and Stoke Fleming churches. Connectivity along linear features and waterways are important for many species, and the communities which reside and rely upon them. We’re in the early stages of looking at a funding bid to create a Community Project for this area, potentially 100 or so swift nestboxes with potential for included house martin cups and bat crevices, and callers. Community hubs, schools, businesses, and residents will all be invited along to a presentation and express interest…..watch this space!
Dartmouth, St. Saviour’s
Thanks to Adam and all at BBH Arhitects, Dartmouth BBH Support Swifts!. Adam’s office is across the road from the church tower and I can’t wait to hear that swifts are prospecting the louvres at St. Saviour’s. Personally, it would be dangerous for me to have an office adjacent to a swift colony, I’m already slow at responding to emails and keeping up with admin!
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Tim Willson with some of the boxes, awaiting their final destination.
Alistair and Jon with the (nearly!) finished installation. Great team!
Dartmouth St. Petrox
It’s an absolute privelege to be given permission to work in some of the oldest operating architectural structures in our landscape. I appreciate them all, but sometimes my smile broadens slightly and my heart rate quickens a tad at the thought of a few of them. St. Petrox is located at the mouth of the Dart. I’ve sailed, kayaked, and sat on fishing boats heading out to sea from the Dart over my years in Devon, and I’ve always looked at St Petrox church with a sense of awe and wonder. Sat on the rocky ledges, formed from equal processes, growing out of the rocks and the weathering of the coastline by storms. I never would have believed you if you told me we’d have access to achieve what we just have in the tower. Hard to express my gratitude in words for this one. Bring on the photos, stop my gushing!
Please turn the volume down for this video, the angle grinder sounds horrid!
Dartmouth, St. Clement’s
St. Clement’s was a relatively easy installation, with good clear access and good fixings into sound mortar joints. My son Fred joined me on this one. Don’t tell him (he’ll increase his hourly rate!) but I love having him along for the installations…unless he raids my packed lunch!
Dittisham, St. George.
The last of the Dart Valley Fund sponsored installations. We really can’t thank them enough for their support for this project and it was great to meet Fernanda and Emilio a few weeks ago to talk about the future.
During the survey of St’ George’s tower, Tim and I discovered that existing louvre covers were saturated with salt from sea spray. The bell chamber felt very humid so we discussed options for replacing the canvas covers with a more permeable layer. Tim managed to find a suitable alternative, which I installed whilst fitting the nestboxes. It felt like the tower was able to breathe again!
Tim and Jenny, a Dittisham Swift Champion!
Not the easiest access! 1 inch wide steel bell frames with a slightly tricky rapid descent (untested).
The original, impermeable louvre covers.
New mesh installed, ready to accept the nestboxes.
Don’t watch the following video if you’re easily bored by the topic of relative humidity, fabric permeability, and the breathability of lime rendered buildings 🙂 Please excuse the sniffling and dust in my eye in this video. I had just removed the covers on the west elevation and the prevailing wind blew 20 years of spider web, dried jackdaw poo, and insect remains into my face at 25mph. Yes, mum, I know I should have been wearing my safety glasses.
Nestboxes installed with new mesh.
Always good to be reminded that these ancient buildings are home to a vast amount of other species, especially at this time of year.
