An ambitious restoration and refurbishment programme currently being undertaken by Millhams Street, Elim Church and Community Centre off Christchurch High Street has received a grant of £3,000 from the Dorset Historic Churches Trust (DHCT). The money will be specifically allocated towards the repair, by Abbotsbury based stonemason Mark Lillywhite, of the much-eroded stonework surrounding the front windows.

The programme, which when completed is expected to cost in the region of £360,000, is funded mainly by the Church's many initiatives. It involves extensive work to the elegant exterior, spacious interior, garden and churchyard.
The mid-Victorian Grade II listed building was formerly home to the United Reformed Church and was acquired by the Elim Pentecostal Church in 1998.

A major source of finance is the regular Monday Coffee Morning and Bring & Buy held in the Church Hall each Market Day between 9.30 am and 12.00 pm. Over the past nine years this popular facility has raised some £100,000 to Church funds.

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On 19th October, the newly appointed Bishop of Salisbury, The Rt. Reverend Nicholas Holtam, joined Melbury Team ministers, representatives of church funding charities and the congregation of over 60 in the small 15th Century Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Melbury Bubb situated amidst the Dorset downlands between Dorchester and Sherborne.

The lamp lit evening service of Prayer and Thanksgiving, conducted by Team Rector, the Reverend Graham Perryman, celebrated the completion of a 2 year fund raising and 5 month restoration project on the church's tower, walls, pinnacles and crosses costing a over £40,000. Regular services were maintained throughout the whole period of the work carried out by builders Burfitt & Garrett (Semley) under the supervision of church architect Brian Watts of Proctor, Watts, Cole, Rutter of Shaftesbury. The commission for the replacement roof crosses was awarded to stone mason Pippa Unwin of Salisbury.

Although the small rural parish manages to maintain the church and pay its way each year with fund-raising events and occasional bequests, meeting the cost of the recent work was made possible by grants from several sources including Dorset Historic Churches Trust (£10,000), Erskine Muton Trust Fund (£20,000), The Garfield Weston Foundation, St Andrew's Conservation Trust and The Headley Trust.

During his address Bishop Nicholas acknowledged the ambivalence of many people towards church buildings, after all was not God so much bigger than the Universe itself. So, why make the effort maintaining buildings like St Mary the Virgin? Parish churches represent bonds in stone reaching back through 1000's of years housing the collective memory of a community. They are also lively places, serious places for solemn business holding a community together for religious reasons made valid by prayer. But they are not just human constructs and must point outwards reaching far beyond themselves.

The Saxon font in Melbury Bubb suggests the existence of a church here from very early days. Of the church that was rebuilt in 1474 only the tower remains. What is seen today is an 1854 rebuild probably reproducing the main features of the older church and incorporating some stained glass. Even now the church does not have running water or electricity, preferring instead to rely on paraffin lamps and a wood burning stove.

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Dorset Historic Churches Trust cheques in at Abbotsbury
Pictured at last week's cheque handover at St Nicholas Church, Abbotsbury.

(Left to right) The Revd Ada Whittock; Molly Pullin (Church Warden); Simon Pomeroy (Chairman DHCT); Torben Houlberg (Treasurer, St Nicholas PCC) and Derek Cope (DHCT Representative Weymouth Deanery Area)

Historic church's bold response to cost of lead theft

Lead theft on two consecutive nights last December from the roof of St Nicholas Church, Abbotsbury, left the parochial church council facing a bill of £32,246.

Matters would have been even worse but for prompt action by Chairman of the Building Committee, Roger Anderson and local resident, roofing and leadwork contractor Craig Haskins, who supplied time and materials to make temporary repairs the following day, minimizing damage to internal walls and fixtures.

Equally prompt was the response by the PCC in establishing a 'St Nicholas' Church Roof Appeal' which over the past 10 months has raised £31,858 including grants, insurance claim of £5,000 and recovery of 70% of VAT. Donations and fund raising by individuals raised £11,000 and the Village collection tins £666.

Of the grant giving organisations involved, representatives of the Dorset Historic Churches Trust last week presented a cheque for £3,000 to the Treasurer of St Nicholas PCC, Torben Houlberg and Church Warden and Cycle Ride Organiser Molly Pullin. Other Grants were received from the Erskine Muton Trust Fund (£5,000), The Friends of St Nicholas (£3,000) and The Manifold Trust (£1,000).

Full repair and replacement work has now been completed by Buglers Builders of Toller Porcorum in association with architect Michael Howarth of John Stark & Crickmay, Dorchester and includes an electronic security system costing £3,000.

Thanks for the conclusion of the work, the Roof Appeal and all involved will be celebrated at a special Patronal Festival & Family Service on the 4th December at 10.30 am. This will be led by the Rev. Ada Whittock Associate Vicar of the Benefice of Abbotsbury, Portesham and Langton Herring and followed by Coffee.

St Nicholas was built as the parish church of Abbotsbury in the late 14th or early 15th Century alongside the noted tithe barn and Benedictine Abbey of St Peter, much of which was destroyed during Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries. The oldest parts of the surviving building are the Tower and North Wall. The double arcade was built and South Aisle added early in the 16th Century.

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The parish church of St Peter's Dorchester was the venue for this year's 'Friends of Dorset Churches' seminar on 4th October organised by the Dorset Historic Churches Trust (DHCT) and led by the Trust's Chairman Simon Pomeroy. It was attended by trustees, friends and church representatives from across the County.

Michael Hoare, Chairman of the National Churches Trust, with which the DHCT works closely, said it was increasingly difficult to fund raise for empty churches; money had to be spent to encourage people into these important and beautiful buildings for a multiplicity of reasons. NCT currently grants Dorset £20,000 annually to help with church restoration projects up to £50,000.

Colin Shearer, Director of the Churches Conservation Trust, focussed on the conservation and repair of redundant churches, all still consecrated, as active centres of community life and worship. CCT maintain 342 redundant churches nationally; this figure includes 9 churches in Dorset for which £1.3 million has been invested, including the churchyard at St George Reforne, Portland.

The Friend's afternoon's programme included an informed talk by Patrick and Frances Moule on the architecture, contents and fascinating history of St Peters which was followed by a brief visit to neighbouring Holy Trinity Church. Formerly Dorchester's garrison church, since 1976 Holy Trinity has been Dorchester's Roman Catholic Church where the stunning Kempe Reredos has recently been beautifully restored.

The Dorset Historic Churches Trust itself provides some £100,000 annually to Dorset Churches of all Christian denominations to help meet the cost of fabric repairs, maintenance and restoration. Its main source of income is the Annual 'Ride & Stride' which takes place across the County every September. Since its beginnings in 1991 the event has raised £750,000; the results of last September's 'R & S' are still coming in from parishes but at total over £50,000 is expected.

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10:10:11 ...................................................................................................................Photographs by Dave Penman, Moonfleet Photography

A scheme that has adapted available space to extend the use of the parish church for Christian-linked occasions throughout the whole week has received the endorsement plus a grant of £4,000 from the Dorset Historic Churches Trust.

St Mary, Motcombe, near Shaftesbury, is undergoing an imaginative programme of refurbishment that includes a magnificently engraved glass door and the installation of heating, kitchen and toilet. The £90,000 programme required a major revamp of the West end of the Church to open up space by resiting the organ and replacing fixed pews with quality stackable chairs. Sadly the heating has been deferred following the theft of the lead from the roof. That will be replaced with another material with no disposable value and has to have a higher priority.

The original wooden inner door in the South Porch has been replaced with one of glass which immediately makes the Church both welcoming and inviting. The design by Winchester glass engraver Tracey Sheppard combines imagery long associated with the Virgin Mary, the Patron Saint of the Church, with symbols and detail representing the village of Motcombe.

Project leader Charles Scott said: 'The changes will strengthen our already strong links with further outreach to schools and other bodies. There is now space and year round facilities for concerts, coffee mornings, breakfast or lunch clubs, discussion groups and exhibitions'. Thanking the DHCT for its grant Mr Scott also acknowledged the generosity and fund raising efforts of the local community.

Chairman of Dorset Historic Churches Trust, Major General John Alexander said: 'A feature of grant applications in recent years has been the increasing number of churches seeking to enhance as well as maintain the fabric. While it is difficult to strike a balance between benefit, cost and visual impact it is now our policy to consider grants to improve facilities on their individual merits of which Motcombe is an excellent example'

The Dorset Historic Churches Trust celebrated its Golden Anniversary in 2010. Over50 years it has raised £1 million and given 775 grants to Dorset Churches towards maintenance and restoration - the cost of which continues to rise. Its invaluable voluntary work preserving the heritage of Dorset's fine churches depends largely on the success of its sponsored Cycle Ride & Stride which takes place on the second Saturday of September. Last September's event raised £56,000 half of which was returned to participating parishes. This year's event is on 11th September, details on www.dorsethistoricchurchestrust.co.uk

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