A HUGE fundraising drive has been launched at one of York's oldest churches, after workers restoring the roof discovered damage far worse than first feared.
St Olave's Church in Marygate had already raised £145,000 through a Government grant and local fundraising, to repair destruction and water damage caused when metal thieves struck repeatedly over several weeks in 2011.
St Olave's Church in Marygate, pictured without scaffolding several years ago
But when contractors examined the roof, they found that a Victorian horsehair quilt above the roof timbers had soaked up water over many decades, leading to severe rot, and discovered a parapet was swaying in the wind.
Ben Pugh has produced this video for the church:
The timbers are now having to be replaced and the estimated bill has increased to £345,000. The church nave is now filled with scaffolding, and the congregation has relocated to All Saints Pavement and Holy Trinity Micklegate, while work is carried out.
The view from the roof of the St Olave's chancel
Rev Jane Nattrass, priest in charge of St Olave's and six other city-centre churches, said: "We set off to replace the roof in September last year, and it was to be finished by December, ready for Christmas.
"But as soon as they took the temporary roof off they saw the problems. The horsehair quilt had soaked up water and they found more rotting timbers underneath."
They also spotted the swaying parapet, which also needs strengthened.
Rev Nattrass hopes the congregation may be able to return by Easter, once the scaffolding has been removed from the nave, but work on the roof is now expected to last until late spring.
From the St Olave's roof, looking towards York Minster at St Wilfrid's Church
She said: "The parochial church council is working hard to raise funds. We have sent out letters asking for people to help us. There is to be an auction in May as well, with the congregation and friends donating items worth £100 or more and we will go through routes of applying for grants."
St Olave's is one of the oldest churches in York, with the first building on the site dating to 1055.
Scaffolding inside the nave
Thieves struck repeatedly at the church in 2011, and heavy rain after one of the raids damaged the antique organ and stained the chancel walls, prompting the initial fundraising appeal.
How to help...
To donate online, visit https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/StOlavesChurch
To donate by text message, text olav15 followed by the amount (eg olav15£10) to 70070.
The next fundraising event is a JS Bach St John Passion concert in St Peter's School on Sunday, March 6, at 7.30pm. Admission is £12 (students £5, school children free). Tickets can be bought from the National Centre for Early Music, by phoning 01904 654485 or visiting boxoffice@ncem.co.uk
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