St Swithun’s, Long Bennington Church HLF Repair Project
Work on the Church’s Chancel Roof is currently going roughly to plan; however, the repairs to the Wooden Roof Beams and their supports is going to be a little more extensive, and expensive, than originally envisaged. The additional work will cost another £52,000; hopefully some of this sum can be met from small grants, but the rest will have to be found from local fund-raising. We will be launching a local appeal to help raise this shortfall so that all the works can be done this summer.
Prior to removal of the old lead Roof Covering in late March, a bat expert was engaged to remove the one bat that had been found to be living in the roof area; however, on his arrival to undertake the removal he found that the bat had already left – the bat probably could not put up with the noise created by the scaffolding erectors!!
Hopefully by early May the rotten elements of the Roof Beams and their supports will have been repaired and the new roof fitted. Thereafter, repairs to the internal and external Chancel walls will be made. The other repair works, and in particular the improvements to the Church’s water-catching and drainage systems, will commence in late May. The plan is that, St Swithun’s will be open again sometime in August. The PCC remains grateful to the Heritage Lottery Fund, and all Lottery Players, for their support of the Repair Project.
Please remember that during the period of the works access to the 2 Memorial Areas, and the graves at the front of the old churchyard, will remain open and accessible, and every effort will be made to keep these areas tidy.
We thank you all for your patience and support in helping to keep our beautiful church open now and for many generations to come.
If you would like to support us - you can do this via Just Giving:
Hear is the just giving page link:
https://www.justgiving.com/stswithunschurch