Stonewest, the Croydon stone and restoration specialists, have just finished laying a new Portland limestone, Brandy Crag slate and Italian marble floor at St James\' Church in Bayswater.

Initially, Stonewest were employed directly by the church for works on the exterior, including refacing a principle facade, new ashlar work and carved window heads and surrounds in Bath stone and restoration work to flint walling.

Then, through main contractors Kilby & Gayford, who were restoring the undercroft, Stonewest received the £130,000 order to reinstate the church\'s decorative stone floor.

The majority of the work involved laying a Portland stone floor inside the church, but there was also patterend flooring around the altar area that had to be replaced using the Brandy Crag and marble, as well as Portland. The architect in charge was Molyneux Kerr.

Nick Wilson, associate director of Stonewest, says: "We are doing more and more work in partnership with Churches and increasingly we are able to develop long-term relationships on projects such as St James\' and contribute to all stages of restoration and conservation."