Church spotlight: St Laurence's Church in Ludlow
A church will have to raise up to £5 million to renovate its stained glass windows.
St Laurence's Church in Ludlow has already spent £825,000 on renovations over the past five years, with another £300,000 scheduled to be spent in the next two years.
Shaun Ward, clerk of works, wrote the strategic framework document that has created a vision for St Laurence.
The document explains what the church wants to achieve in the next five years.
Saint Laurences Church was established as a place of worship when the Normans founded Ludlow in the late 11th century.
The church is a member of the Greater Churches Group and is the largest parish church in Shropshire.
The tower is 135 feet high, dominating Ludlow and commanding excellent views of the town and surrounding countryside.
Notable features include an extensive set of misericords in the choir stalls as well as its fine stained glass windows.
Below the chancel are the catacombs, which hold an impressive set of church monuments.[/breakout]
Mr Ward said: "In recent years we have completed a great deal of important work, the church is now warm, light and watertight.
"We have secured precious items of national and international importance including historic paintings, wall paintings, stained glass and monuments.
"The town has raised a lot of money to implement the renovations already done and we would like to thank all of those who have generously contributed to our project.
"But we will need outside help to raise the money to renovate the stained glass windows.
"We will be approaching the National Lottery for help with funding – the cost of the glass alone will be £1.5 million."
St Laurence's is the largest parish church in Shropshire and attracts 65,000 visitors per year.
It was recently awarded a second certificate of excellence from Trip Advisor.
The stained glass windows date from the 15th century, when the church was largely rebuilt thanks to prosperity derived from the wool trade.
Project chairman Dr Ewart Carson said: "We have great hopes for the future and have been working hard over the last 12 months to develop our plans.
"In the short term we want to complete our green energy project by installing a biomass boiler and solar panels, as well as continued improvements to facilitate better community use through provision of new seating and sound system.
"Longer term plans are moving forward and will include replacement of the nave floor, providing better access for all, and conservation of our famous medieval windows."
Dating from 1199, St Laurence's was given a five-star rating in Simon Jenkins book England's Thousand Best Churches.
The author described it as "the Cathedral of the Marches".
The church is home to a range of historical treasures, from the imposing structure of the church itself with its iconic 15th century tower, to the 18th century organ and the internationally-important stained glass windows.
Its famous bells, which ring tunes four times a day each day of the week, were restored and increased in number to 10 by Whitechapel Bell Foundry, London in 2009.
Church rector the Ven Colin Williams said that maintaining one of England's finest churches is no easy job.
He said: "But by carrying out this work we have been able to welcome more people and encourage more community use.
"Each week two toddler play groups meet, with around 80 children and carers.
"Our special services, particularly those at Christmas, have become a highlight in the region's calender."
He added: "Our vision for St Laurence's is about more than bricks and mortar, it is fundamentally about the life and work of our church, making it once again the beating heart of our thriving community."
As well as the actual structure of the church, the nearby town walls have also become a concern.
Leaders at St Laurence's Church say repairs to the walls need to be undertaken as a matter of urgency.
They collapsed about two-and-a-half years ago and there is concern that the damage could spread and affect the structure of the church.
A geological survey is being undertaken to find out how far the collapse could spread, but there is dispute between the church, Shropshire Council and Ludlow Town Council about who should take responsibility for the repairs.
