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St
Mary's Church
Felmersham, Bedfordshire
Church Restoration |
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Since
1975 the parish has made great efforts to restore the parish
church of St Mary so that it continues as a centre for prayer and
worship and as a focus for the life of the parish. Generous
financial help has also been received from those who believe that
a medieval building is worth preserving for the enjoyment of this
and future generations. Grants have been received from English
Heritage, Beds and Herts Historic Churches Trust, Francis Coales
Charitable Trust and other grant agencies. Over the past thirty
years the following major restoration work has been
achieved.
1975: Lead on the
nave roof recast and re-laid;
1978: Tower restored;
1980: Chancel roof
lined and retiled;
1984: South aisle roof re-leaded;
1987-88: South transept restored and
re-tiled;
1989: South porch restored;
1991: Restoration of the West Front;
1992: Internal decoration. |
Recent
restoration work commenced in October 1999 and the schedule of works included:
The restoration of the 8 clerestory windows, pointing the north and
south nave walls, repairing the north aisle parapet, re-tiling the north
transept roof, pointing the north transept north wall and repairing the
string course. Repairing the stone work around the Chancel door and the
nearby string course and the stonework around the Memorial Chapel east
window now referred to as the Millennium Window.
The cost of the project
was £43,229 and funding was as follows:
English Heritage: £30,300 (70%); Francis Coales Charitable Foundation:
£2,000; Beds and Herts Historic Churches Trust: £2,000; Historic
Churches Preservation Trust: £450; Funds raised in the parish: £8,479.
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Working on the north transept
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Fitting the felt and tiling battens
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Working on the north transept |
The restored north face of the north
transept |
The stone masons interpretation of Victor Farrar, the
church architect. |
The restored south clerestory windows and stone work |
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Replacing the plastic guttering and down
pipes with cast iron on the chancel and north transept
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Restoring the Memorial Chapel east window.
The tinted glass was removed and re-glazed with a vibrant new design of
stained glass known as the millennium
window. |
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