Shropshire church receives £10,000 grant
A Shropshire church is to share in a £333,000 funding payout from the National Churches Trust.
A £10,000 National Churches Trust Cornerstone Grant will help fund the installation of a servery and toilet at the Grade II* listed St Lucia’s church, Upton Magna.
Broadcaster and journalist Huw Edwards, vice president of The National Churches Trust, said: “The UK's historic churches and chapels are a vital part of our national heritage. During the coronavirus pandemic churches are doing so much to help vulnerable local people and boost morale.
“Many churches need to carry out urgent repairs and install modern facilities to ensure their buildings can continue to be used well into the future. But the cost of this work is often far beyond what most congregations can pay for themselves.
“So I’m delighted that St Lucia church, Upton Magna, is being helped with a £10,000 National Churches Trust Grant. The work on the installation of a servery and toilet will help secure the future of this historic building and enable the church to do even more to support local people.”
Lin Carding of St Lucia’s church said: “Our grateful thanks go to the National Churches Trust for this grant of £10,000. These facilities will allow us to extend the church’s role in the community both for activities such as Praise and Play for young families and youth cafe, in addition to extending the use of the church as a cultural centre. It will ensure that our beautiful 12th century church can now meet the needs of the 21st century.”
Sue Woods, Fabric Fund co-ordinator added: “As a community we have worked long and hard raising funds and securing grants for the restoration of this building that was at risk of closure. Our thanks go to the National Churches Trust for giving us this opportunity to complete this project that will sustain St. Lucia’s for future generations.”
A total of 31 churches and chapels in England and Wales will benefit from the latest grants from the National Churches Trust, the charity supporting church buildings of all Christian denominations across the UK.
There has been a Christian community worshipping in St Lucia’s, formally St Lucy, the patron Saint of eyesight, for more than a thousand years.
The church was built in Grinshill stone at a similar time to nearby Haughmond Abbey. The nave and chancel date from at least the 12th century with existing pairs of small Norman, possibly Saxon round arched windows; archaeologists believe some foundation stones are also Saxon. The 15th century west tower is a "glorious example of perpendicular architecture.”
Three of the original 17th century bells remain alongside the very old, rare and precious service bell dating from 1499. The church is also home to a medieval chest, carved from one piece of oak.
The church was substantially rebuilt and restored by the gothic revival architect G.E Street in 1856 including a scheme of internal decoration, much of which was subsequently covered over in the 1950s, but conservationists have recently been carrying out work to reveal some of this painting.
The church has recently been removed from the Historic England At Risk Register, following a year of extensive repairs and restoration plus the installation of a new heating system.
