Conservation Project finally underway

 We are delighted to announce that the National Lottery Heritage Fund has approved an increase in our grant to cover a shortfall in funding and to enable some additional essential works. The contractors will be set up by the end of October and work will start on 3 November to remove the Royal Coat of Arms for restoration and start testing the wall paintings to determine the best approach to their conservation. The church will remain open for our usual services during the period of works. Visitors to the site will see a contractor’s compound; some external areas will be cordonned off and anyone wishing to enter the building outside service times and publicised opening times is asked to make themselves known to the contractors on site.

You can see from the picture below how dirty and sagging the canvas of the Coat of Arms has become. It has been in the church since the early 17th Century and as the church porch was added later, it is going to be a tight squeeze to get it out. The entire frame will be lifted from the wall, protection added and then it will go to the conservator’s workshop. We can’t wait to get it back fully restored.

We will be making a photographic record of the works and the restorers and conservators will be giving/recording talks about their work. We will update you here, through COMPASS our Benefice newsletter and through social media.

Our funding is exclusively for the Heritage project so please continue to support our fundraising events to ensure we can still cover the church’s running costs. See our Events pages for all our events for this year.