Restoration Work

Our church, a Grade 2* listed building, has since the Millennium completed two large restoration projects. The first in 2007 was for major stonework repairs to the 12th century tower, and the replacement of drainage and guttering on the tower and church roof. Work began with initial inspections, architect's specifications and a major fund-raising campaign in 2006. The building works mostly took place in 2007, and the Thanksgiving Service was in January 2008.

The total project value was around £280,000, of which about £50,000 worth of VAT has been recoverable under the government's Listed Places of Worship grant scheme. We had grant funding of £153,000 from the English Heritage Lottery Fund, and £32,000 from other grant-making bodies, including a very generous £10,000 from Garsington Parish Council. Local fund-raising events have contributed £9,000 and the balance of £36,000 has come from generous donations from church members, villagers and visitors. Sadly, during the project, St Mary's suffered two vandal attacks, and then a serious lead theft in September 2007 made regional news headlines. These criminal attacks added a further £60,000 to the total project cost, though this was mostly covered by insurance.

Further restoration work has been carried out in 2012-2013, funded by a most generous legacy of nearly £200,000 from the estate of the late Edna Wheeler. The work included repairs to external stonework around the windows, internal plaster repairs and redecoration, updating of the church electrical fittings, the installation of new servery area at the back of the church and the re-hanging of the church bells. The plumbing and drainage for the servery is sufficient to accommodate a toilet within the church, though there were insufficient funds to complete the internal toilet.

It is important to realise that Garsington is a very fortunate and blessed village to have received so much grant funding for the first project and then the legacy funding for the second. Many places have to fund much more of their restoration programmes locally, since Heritage Lottery Fund grants are scarce and heavily over-subscribed.

Following a theft of lead from the church roof in 2020, the church was forced to close while we raised funds and completed repairs. Check our website www.gchparishes.co.uk for details of re-opening dates in the new year. 

This page updated 15th December 2020