St. Peter's Refurbishment
This year we are delighted to announce the complete
refurbishment of our building, in the year that we celebrate the
150th anniversary of our consectraction.
The five-yearly architect's survey
of 2006 faced the church with a crisis. The interior was shabby,
damp and unwelcoming. Furnishings were old and faded. Heating and
electrical systems needed replacement. We faced an estimated £75,000 of work- but we had just depleted all our reserves in
replacing the roof...
Then we seemed to have an answer to
prayer. We were approached by a collector who offered a
significant sum to buy our font, by the renowned Victorian
architect William Burges. At first, permission was refused by the
Diocese. We took it to a church court, which overturned this
ruling. However on a further appeal to the highest church court
(the 'Court of Arches') in 2009, the proposal was finally
rejected.
Meanwhile we were busy raising funds locally, at
a painfully slow rate. We had just sufficient to replace our
electrical system, condemned in 2007. Then, in 2010, we had
finally collected enough to proceed with the major works of
replastering and painting.
It has been an exciting year,
and the results are plain to see- a bright clean interior, new
carpet and chairs, a building we can be proud of again. The
contractors, Corbel, have done an excellent job, and for less than
in our first estimates. There has been generosity and hard work
from many different quarters, especially from the congregation
itself. Some things remain to be done... but our major objectives
have been achieved.
And we didn't have to sell our font...
Come and visit us and look around! Why not join us for our
150th birthday celebrations! (programme)
SOME INTERIOR VIEWS
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| A baptism at St.
Peter's |
Looking towards the altar from the west nave |
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| Rev Sue, baby
Joshua and his mother |
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More views of interior... |
Rood Screen and a
school picture - south choir |
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