Two historic churches in south Warwickshire gain from £645k raft of funding

A Warwick chapel hailed as “one of the masterpieces of medieval art” and a Grade II* listed church in Kineton are among 45 churches across the country to be awarded a share of a £645,000 rescue package.
By The Newsroom
Published 20th Jan 2014, 07:00 BST
St Mary's church guide Patrick Littlejohn and parish administrator Felicity Bostock looking at the Beauchamp Chapel's south wall, which is going to be renovated.St Mary's church guide Patrick Littlejohn and parish administrator Felicity Bostock looking at the Beauchamp Chapel's south wall, which is going to be renovated.
St Mary's church guide Patrick Littlejohn and parish administrator Felicity Bostock looking at the Beauchamp Chapel's south wall, which is going to be renovated.

The National Churches Trust has awarded Warwick’s parish church St Mary’s a £40,000 Cornerstone Grant for urgent repairs to its historic Beauchamp Chapel, as well as £10,000 to St Peter’s in Kineton - which is in danger of crumbling away - to help fund masonry repairs and conservation.

St Mary’s Beauchamp Chapel is widely regarded as one of the country’s most beautiful and historically significant chantry chapels. It houses the tomb of Richard Beauchamp, one of the richest and most powerful people in English history. Journalist and church expert Simon Jenkins has hailed it as “one of the masterpieces of medieval art”.

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Alison Giles, the church’s campaign director, said: “We’re delighted to have this support. As well as the obvious financial value, we greatly appreciate this endorsement of the significance of the building and urgency of the repair needs.”

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The Rev Barry Jackson of St Peter's church in Kineton and Alexandra Gunn, who leads the church's buildings team, are pictured beside the church tower.The Rev Barry Jackson of St Peter's church in Kineton and Alexandra Gunn, who leads the church's buildings team, are pictured beside the church tower.
The Rev Barry Jackson of St Peter's church in Kineton and Alexandra Gunn, who leads the church's buildings team, are pictured beside the church tower.

The Rev Barry Jackson of St Peter’s said: “The sort of stone we have is very crumbly, so when it gets weathered, bits of it fall off. The restoration work is about making it safe and secure.

“The core work we have identified will cost around £240,000, but there are lots of extra things we could add on to that. We are doing lots of things to engage the community to raise the funds we need.

“All the credit for our fundraising and grant-making goes to our buildings team, led by Alexandra Gunn.”

Other Warwickshire churches to benefit are St Laurence in Shotteswell and St Lawrence in Oxhill. To find out more about the National Churches Trust, visit www.nationalchurchestrust.org

Related topics:WarwickshireKineton