13. Preparation of the foundation and monitoring the work
When adequate cash was available, a contract defining the work to be done with payments against milestones achieved was drawn up and agreed with Gary Breeze. Once agreed, he was able to order the stone blanks from Albion works in Portland. Because of the potential problems with the foundation, an order was placed with Bruce Harris of T E Harris and Co as soon as permission from both councils had been received.

Bruce is a ‘can do’ builder and it was a pleasure to work with him. The picture inset shows work momentarily stopped whilst archaeologist Frank Green checks out a ‘find’ on the site. The Charter Stone was to be located on the foundation by three 20mm stainless steel pins which were to be fixed with epoxy resin into the stone. Gary Breeze had previously supplied a wooden jig that defined the position of the holes in the foundation.

The hole for the foundation was dug out in October 2006 without any of the potential problems being realised. Quite fortuitously, the site chosen was on a piece of virgin ground and natural strata in the sides of the hole were clearly visible. The soil was Valley Gravel, the same sub-soil that has served Abbey Church well for around 1000 years.

The hole was 1.5 by 1.5 by 0.7 metres deep set 10 centimetres below pavement surface level. It was filled on the same day with ST4 concrete as specified by Andrew Waring. When the concrete had started to solidify the jig supplied by Gary Breeze was inserted (see picture). The next day the jig was removed and the York stone paving replaced on sand ready for the Charter Stone to be installed in April 2007.

Some weeks later, Albion works in Portland delivered the five stone blanks, each 70 centimetres in diameter to Gary Breeze’s workshop in Norfolk. Albion had quarried the stone and nearby Stone Works had cut it into cylindrical shapes. Monitoring Gary’s progress was mostly accomplished using a digital camera and email. The team made only one visit to his workshop; an heroic eight hour round trip by car from Romsey.