 St Mary's Church Woolpit
- SNAP Appeal
Restoration and New Amenities Project 2010
In 2010 the team at St Mary’s is working to maintain its beautiful
Grade I Listed building and bring its facilities up to date so that it
can serve new generations of local people.
Funds are being raised to provide a kitchenette and a toilet facility,
suitable for disabled persons, which are to be installed at the north
west end of the church in the tower area. These are designed to be
discrete and sympathetic to the architecture of the historic building.
It is also necessary to restore the three north windows, the porch walls
and roof and the chancel platform. In addition it is planned to improve
the disabled access to the building via the 14th century porch, in
particular the lighting, floor levels, ramps and general refurbishment.
There is a plinth under the font which causes safety and access concerns
and it is proposed to remove the plinth and re-site the font.
In order to help St Mary’s support the many uses, spiritual and secular,
which it provides to the community it is planned that work will commence
by late summer 2010 with a cost of around £100,000.
If you would like to consider helping by making a donation, please click the
link to download this
SNAP Appeal form, then print and return with the method of your
donation.
Thank you very much for your consideration.
St. Mary’s church has been at the heart of the picturesque Suffolk
village, Woolpit, for over 700 years.
It stands on the site of a much older church and the oldest part of
the present church dates from the Norman period although most of the
church dates from the 14th and 15th centuries. The graceful 19th century
spire dominates the landscape, reminding travellers on the A14 of God in
their midst.
 The beautiful wood carvings — both the angel roof and the pew ends -
have delighted worshippers and visitors from the time of their
installation in the 1400s and the animals on the pew ends in particular
have been a favourite of children from every generation.
The
church has met the needs of people through out the centuries, adapting
to each generation as the need has arisen. The people of the area have
cared for it so that it has remained a place of worship and a focus for
community life.
Like all historic buildings St. Mary’s continues to need maintenance
and adaptation to allow it to continue the vital function of being
relevant for the present community.
The stone work for three of the windows on the north side has
crumbled and needs to be conserved.
 The 15th century porch — a treasure in its own right — needs to be
cleaned, conserved and appropriately lit.
While
an excellent disabled ramp has been installed in the church the front
step also needs to be altered to facilitate disabled access.
The church also needs toilet and kitchen facilities to improve its
use as a concert and community venue.
The estimate for all the work required is £100,000 and we would
gratefully value your assistance and support in helping us to undertake
all this vital work.
On the reverse of this page is a gift aid form and a Bankers Order
which allows us to maximise your gift.
With many thanks,
Rev. Ruth Farrell, Rector.
The Rectory, Rectory Lane, Woolpit 1P30 9QP
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