Ancient church wins Lottery award
An ancient church, which features in the Domesday Book, has just received National Lottery funding for repairs to its stonework and roof.
Wardens of St Mary's Church in Stottesdon, which is Grade 1 listed and is currently registered as 'at risk' by Historic England, applied for the funding for its Past, Present and Future project.
The church, which is the largest public building for miles around, is the only clue to Stottesdon's importance as a market town at the centre of the Mercian-era 'Hundred'.
More than £27,000 has now been awarded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Community volunteers will be recruited and trained to research the history of the first 1,000 years of the church which is believed to pre-date the Norman Conquest.
Conservation work to the roof coverings, stonework and drains will be undertaken and it is hoped there will be increased community interest and that the building will be used for events, celebrations, events and meetings.
The money will also be used to recruit and train community volunteers who will carry out research and then work as 'story-telling' guides on public open days as the works progress and once they are completed.
Clare Tibbits, the Church Warden who heads up the project said: “We’re absolutely delighted that we’ve received this support thanks to National Lottery players.
"St Mary’s Church has been at the heart of our rural community for almost 1,000 years and it’s wonderful to know that we are a step closer to conserving the building, and interpreting its historic importance, for generations to come.”
The church consists of a nave with aisles, a west tower and a chancel. Although there are fragments of Saxon masonry within the west wall of the nave, the tower and aisles are C12. The church as seen today was largely completed by the C14 and was restored in the C19 by Thomas Blashill.
