On the 14th August 2008 at approximately 10 am a massive rockfall occurred, where 300 tonnes of rock rolled and bounced their way down from the very top of the mountain into the Jamestown valley – the biggest rockfall in 100 years. Several properties were badly damaged, from our own Manse upwards. Miraculously not one person was killed or even injured – we can only marvel at God’s hand in this. Nine properties were damaged by the rocks, but a few stray rocks also hit the school wall across the street and the roof of the energy division across the valley. 
The present Government estimate for all the damages to all the properties is around ₤400,000. The Baptist Church has four properties that were struck and has the lion’s share of the estimate. The Government’s estimate is ₤288,000 for the repairing of all our properties. The Manse was the worst hit structurally, and it seems that most of the back wall will have to be torn down and rebuilt. 
The Chapel experienced substantial damage to the rear two foot thick wall, and a large portion of it will have to be rebuilt. Some rocks penetrated the roof and caused damage inside the building, damaging the gallery as well as some of the floor boards and pews.
The Schoolroom lost more than half its roof and suffered damages to the walls.
The yard, which housed Arthur Bazaar’s garage and the carport for the Church car, was badly struck, destroying the garage and carport, as well as the front wall of the yard that looks out onto the street. This is the beginning of a very long list of affected areas.
At present the Manse is uninhabitable, the Chapel unusable, the Schoolroom exposed to the elements and the yard a dump site. There is so much that needs to be done towards the repairing of the Church buildings, and we as a Church do not have the money for the mammoth task. The Baptist Church has put together a fund raising committee which exists to brainstorm and execute ideas for the raising of funds for the buildings.
