“... I can still remember that the chapel was not in a good state. I know that from 1913-1914 we had to fetch the garden tools for cleaning the garden or the paths from the chapel. … Every Thursday was a working day. The younger boys had to tidy up the paths, weed and trim the shrubs, or use the roller on them. There was always something to do. As soon as the supervisor had left, our high spirits and sense of adventure took the upper hand. Sometimes we were in the Chapel of St Michael and played our pranks there.
There was a rickety old door. leading into the chapel. At that time the floor was still made of hardened clay. The stone tiles only came in later. The roof was damaged and leaked in places; we sometimes saw puddles on the floor. In places the walls were so damaged that it seemed as though they could crumble at any time. You could see the holes in the walls ...“
About the door: From the spontaneous way Fr Menningen expressed himself, on can, despite every caution, discover a confirmation of the verbal tradition that at this time the doors opened inwards, as was often the case with small chapels. It is possible that during the work of renovation in the summer of 1914 they were replaced, and the new door fitted so that it opened outwards. Unfortunately we can no longer ask Fr Menningen or other witnesses from that time.
About the floor: The floor was at first made of hardened clay. It was only in 1916 that stone flooring was put into the shrine, which was then replaced in 1924 by a wooden floor. From what is the only known photo of the interior of the shrine as it was before the light frame was installed in 1919, we can see the decorated stone floor.