Click here for Windows Project leaflet Click here for Rose Window sponsorship leaflet
The Church Windows Project
Following on from the repair and restoration of the organ, the stained-glass repair is the final stage in the church re-ordering programme that has achieved a much drier atmosphere and constant temperature in the main body of the church consistent with the conservation of historic buildings. However, this achievement is compromised in the Lady Chapel and Chancel areas where the magnificent Rose and East windows are seriously damp and draughty: the glass is buckling; severe and continuing loss of paint; metal supports rusting and, in the case of the Lady Chapel Rose window, the medieval stone work crumbling. The Rose Window is in very urgent need of repair.
Following expert surveys and advice, the work has been divided into three main phases. Holywell Glass has been appointed and will be starting work on Phase One, the Rose Window, in November 2025, after the swifts have gone and before nesting begins in the Spring of 2026. Phase Two concerns the smaller windows in the nave, with less scaffolding needs: it is hoped that this work could be undertaken concurrently with Phase One, with Phase Three, the ‘big’ East window, starting in the Autumn of 2026 again after the swifts have left.
A team of voluntary fund raisers is busy applying for grants and undertaking other fund raising activities with the intention of achieving the time scales indicated above for Phases Two and Three. The Art and Stories told by the magnificent collection of 21 stained glass windows in the church lends itself to a variety of community based activities including talks, tours, stained glass making workshops for all ages: please watch this space! We see this as an exciting opportunity to engage the community in the Art and Craft skills evident in the windows, as well as, the stories and history of this Grade One listed building at the heart of our community.
Much has been achieved since the reordering started in 2015 to conserve the fabric and improve the ambience of the church, resulting in opening up the church for worship and a wider range of community activities. Once the windows are cleaned and restored to their original glory, the colour and sparkle will be remarkable. The original objectives of the 6Ps appeal: Preserving the Past; Protecting the Present and Planning for Posterity will have been achieved for the benefit of the whole community and for many generations to come.
Sponsor a chair
Twenty-five of the 300 new chairs remain unsponsored. If you would like to sponsor a chair(s) in memory of someone, to mark a special occasion, on behalf of a group or organisation, or simply to contribute to the 6Ps, click here for a leaflet.