All Saints’ church in Weston Longville is to receive £15,000 in grants for repairs to tackle ongoing issues with rising damp.
A £5,000 National Churches Trust grant will help to pay for urgent repairs to Grade I Listed All Saints’ Church in Weston Longville to improve the damp conditions that exist in the north west corner of the church, and which are currently preventing the rehanging of the portrait of Parson Woodforde. It will also help towards the building of the proposed new accessible toilet facility.
The church also receives a £10,000 Wolfson Fabric Repair Grant from the Wolfson Foundation on the recommendation of the National Churches Trust.
Broadcaster and journalist Huw Edwards, Vice President of the National Churches Trust, said: “I’m delighted that All Saints’ is receiving funding for urgent repairs to prevent damp from damaging the church. This will safeguard the unique local heritage of this beautiful Norfolk church and keep the building open and in use for the benefit of local people. Whether seeking quiet reflection, access to community services or as a place to worship, the National Churches Trust helps hundreds of churches each year and with the support of local people, keeps them thriving today, and tomorrow.”
The church dates back to the 13th century. The Tower contains six bells, the earliest inscribed 1410, which were fully restored in 1976. The interior of the All Saints’ contains many features of artistic and archaeological interest including a Saxon Stone Calvery, encased in the 13th century Font, and an Apostles Rood Screen, which dates back to the 15th century, and which was not damaged during the Reformation.
The church also contains some fine 14th century wall-paintings of St John the Baptist and St John the Devine and a Tree of Jesse on the north wall, which is considered to be one of the finest examples in the country. There is also the painting of Parson Woodforde who was Rector of Weston Longville from 1774 to 1803 and whose “Diary of a Country Parson’ is still widely read.
The grant is part of £351,500 of funding awarded and recommended by the National Churches Trust to twenty-one churches across the UK in this latest round of grants.?In 2022, the National Churches Trust made over 255 grant awards to churches throughout the United Kingdom, with funding totalling more than £1.95m. In 2023, grants continue to be available churches of any Christian denomination that are open for regular worship to fund urgent repairs, maintenance, installing toilets or kitchens and feasibility studies to develop projects.
More details are at: nationalchurchestrust.org/grants
Wolfson Fabric Repairs Grants are made on behalf of the Wolfson Foundation by the National Churches Trust. The aim of the programme is to support the conservation and restoration of places of worship with outstanding historic and architectural significance. Churches can apply for the grants of up to £10,000 to support repairs to the fabric of their buildings such as roof repairs, masonry repairs, rainwaters disposal and drainage and floorwork.
For more information visit nationalchurchestrust.org/our-grants/wolfson-grants
Visit the All Saints church website.
The image is courtesy of Simon Knott at norfolkchurches.co.uk.
Tony Rothe, 12/05/2023
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