Church restoration to start
Worshippers hope to start vital restoration work on the roof of a Stourbridge church during the autumn. Worshippers hope to start vital restoration work on the roof of a Stourbridge church during the autumn. Work at St Thomas's Church, in Market Street, has already gone out to tender and applications from building firms have poured in. Officials from the church are now discussing each application with English Heritage to decide the best way of carrying out the scheme. Read the full story in the Express & Star
Work at St Thomas's Church, in Market Street, has already gone out to tender and applications from building firms have poured in.
Officials from the church are now discussing each application with English Heritage to decide the best way of carrying out the scheme. The charity is part-funding the work and ensuring any construction fits in with the character of the grade I listed building.
Worshippers say the plans are on target and hope work on the roof will be able to start in the autumn.
But they say the actual start date for the scheme will be decided by English Heritage rather than the church itself.
Church leaders have been working for more than a year to raise the £186,000 needed to restore the centuries-old roof.
Donations have brought in more than £90,000 towards and English Heritage agreed to provide funding of £65,000 towards design and construction earlier in the year.
Church leaders are now working to bring in the remaining cash over the coming months.
Members of the church were given a boost after studies of wooden beams in the building were found to be secure despite their age.
This means work on the church's historic Georgian ceiling, the next phase of the restoration following the roof, can also take place, with only the plasterwork having to be repaired.
Members are also working to raise enough money so restoration of the ceiling can begin right after work on the roof is completed.
The ceiling, which was already prone to leaking because of its age, has been battered even further by the recent heavy storms.
Church warden Brian Shaw said things were progressing well.Everything is on schedule at the moment with the tenders being discussed with English Heritage," he said.
"There is still a lot more fundraising to do, not just for the roof but other phases of the restoration as well, which we also need money to complete."
