Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Thursday 19 April 1928

Death Watch Beetle.

Rector’s Discovery in Darfield Parish Church.

The death watch beetle has made its appearance in the roof timbers of the grand old parish church at Darfield. The discovery was made by the Rector, Canon A. E. Sorby.

Breaking the news in the parish monthly I leaflet he says: “This is the time of the year when they begin to lay their eggs. These ravages of church timbers —when of oak chestnut – are seldom seen except when the timbers bored by them are removed and replaced by new beams.

However, I found five of them to-day all of them having fallen from the roof to the altar. I have them now alive and have placed them under microscope and there is no doubt as to their identification.

“ Unless this inroad is tackled and arrested it will mean in the end an enormous expenditure and the renewal the roof timbers.”

Canon Sorby goes on to reveal a rather curious fact. “If incense were used and continually burnt in the church.” he writes, the death watch beetle would disappear. This fact is the best recommendation for the use of incense in a church I have ever heard of.”

The Rector suggests that a preparation might used with a view to exterminating the pest and calls for voluntary assistance.

He concludes “We have inherited from our forefathers a fine country- church. It is our bounden duty to hand on this precious treasure sound and unimpaired.”