FUNDRAISERS for a 900-year-old North Yorkshire church have celebrated the completion of the latest round of repairs, but say they still need support to refurbish the historic building.
St Edmund’s Church, at Kellington, near Selby, is a Grade I listed building, and all repairs have to be carried out to a strict standard, which means prohibitively high costs for the fundraising team.
Anne Procter, organist at the church and member of the congregation, said: “We have celebrated the completion of the £50,000 restoration work, although we still need more money to pay for further repairs around the church.
“It’s a Grade I listed building, and there was some replacement of stone, repointing and reglazing done. English Heritage granted us 50 per cent, but the total bill comes to round about £50,000.”
Work completed in the repairs included replacement of the clerestory windows in the north side of the church and replacement of some of the stone, which was carried out by mason Matthias Garn and his team.
In February 2010, the church was awarded a grant of £28,000 by English Heritage and the National Lottery. It was previously given new concrete and steel foundations, after nearby Kellingley Colliery carried out coal excavations nearby. During previous excavation works, archaeologists found the tomb of a fourteenth-century knight, believed to be the final resting place of a Knight Templar.
Anne said the cost of the repairs, which have taken three months to complete, had become much more expensive this year. “Up until this year, Grade I listed buildings didn’t have to pay VAT, but we may be able to get some of that back “We can’t quite meet all the bill, but we are doing our best. A number of local businesses have helped, but we also need a new boiler, because the current one is old and inefficient.”
Despite the repairs, the church has remained active, and has staged four weddings since the work began. Now the congregation hope future fundraising events will help them meet the remaining costs.
Share