New lease of life for listed Shropshire church
A two-year project to get £190,000 worth of essential repairs carried out to a 1,000-year-old Shropshire church is set to be completed in a matter of weeks.
Fundraising for the ambitious conservation work on St Peter's in Stanton Lacy, a Grade I-listed building, began in 2011.
A flood of cash and pledges enabled builders to start work last year and now the scaffolding is finally down and church officials and members of the congregation are preparing to celebrate the successful completion of the restoration.
Some of the oldest parts of the church, which date back to the mid-11th century, have been saved by the work, notably the walls of the north transept which had been falling apart.
Richard Stayner, of the Stanton Lacy Parochial Church Council, said: "Stabilisation required a complex combination of stainless steel ties, special internal grouting, new stones and pointing.
"Careful selection of stone and mortar type, to meet the high quality standards of English Heritage, have resulted in repairs that blend with the old structure so well as to be nearly invisible. Other works had to be carried out to the crumbling tower.
"The extent of the repairs needed was only discovered when the church's weathercock blew down in a gale."
Half of the church's roof slates had been repaired in 2002 and the rest were retiled during the latest restoration.
Mr Stayner said: "We hope we can claim to have preserved this ancient building for future generations."
Church officials are to mark the completion of the work, as well celebrate the festival of St Peter between June 28 and 30.
There will be a concert in the church on the Friday, from 7.30pm, by Craven Arms Male Voice Choir and children from St Lawrence's School in Church Stretton.
On the Sunday, there will be guided tours of the church. Strawberry teas will be served from 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
