St Mary's Church based in Kettering is a Victorian church built in 1893 and required some much-needed care and attention. As part of the roof refurbishment, the original cast iron rainwater system had to be replaced, although it had lasted for more than 120 years.

When considering a rainwater system for an historic building, there are several factors that need to be taken into consideration. Namely, which profiles would retain the aesthetics of the Church and its surroundings, the choice of materials to be used, budget available and importantly if the predicted rainfall intensity would mean a change in gutter sizing.


Warkton Roofing was the appointed contractor and ARP's local Account Manager, Nigel Hancock, met with Bob Lockley, Managing Director, on site to discuss the requirements of the new rainwater system and carry out a full site measure.

With rainfall intensity and budget being key factors and due to the roof pitch and effective roof area, the chosen option was ARP's Legacy No. 46 ogee gutter on the high-level roofs and Legacy plain half round gutter on the lower roofs with additional downpipes to aid the flow of rainwater from the roof. The Legacy gutters, Colonnade cast eared rainwater pipes and Carinus hoppers all imitate the Victorian style of the profiles being replaced.

Aluminium was chosen instead of cast iron on this project for its low maintenance, lightweight, yet durable properties. By polyester powder coating the rainwater system in a heritage type RAL 9005 Black Leatherette finish, it mimics the cast iron aesthetics and will not need repainting for at least 30 years.

Aluminium is a more cost-effective option than cast iron, and especially when upgrading the number of downpipes to provide a quick and effective rain flow from the roof. Aluminium is much lighter and easier to install, meaning less fitting time on site.