From Monday 16 September until Friday 27 September expert glazier Jim Budd will be with us at St Matthew’s working to painstakingly remove the first two medieval windows ready for conservation.
The work is being funded by a £235,000 grant from The National Heritage Lottery Fund as part of a project called ‘Tending the Future’ which will restore four of the Church’s medieval windows.
The windows will be transported to Jim’s studio in Herefordshire where he will begin conservation cleaning ahead of restoration, to counter damage caused over the years by cracks, weather, condensation and the rusting of the Ferras bars which hold the windows in place. He has promised to leave us toughened Perspex in the openings to ensure that Church remains secure and draft free over the coming months! The windows will be reinstalled in May 2025.
Whilst he is with us in Morley Jim will run a series of drop-ins and workshops designed to increase our knowledge of the windows and the conservation process. The September Coffee, Cake and Chat with glazier Jim Budd Wednesday 18th September 10.30-1200 will include a chance to talk with Jim about the glass conservations, see some of the tools and techniques he uses, and maybe even have a little go at cutting glass yourself alongside the usual great company and refreshments! For those that work during the week we will repeat the event on Saturday 21st September 10.30-12.00, Coffee, Cake and Chat with glazier Jim Budd. No need to book, everyone welcome.
We will also run workshops for local school children and a range of adult groups who would not otherwise get the chance to come and enjoy the Church and the beauty of Morley – this is all part of the Heritage Fund’s central purpose to encourage the widest possible participation with heritage and an expectation of everyone they fund.
Since last month we have made two key appointments to our Project Delivery Group. Project evaluator, Pippa Smith, will be ensuring we meet the necessary outcomes to justify the public money we have been so fortunate to have from the Heritage Fund and giving us pointers on how we might better engage people with the heritage of the church. Heritage Interpreter, Sarah Rickett, will be leading work to develop interpretation which will help visitors to the church better understand its history, stories and features. Both will undoubtedly be reaching out to you all for your input in the next edition. Until then.
Dale Copley, Project Co-ordinator, on behalf of the Project Delivery Group