About Us
A beautiful old building of Norman origin with many additions from the C13th - C16th, and graced with a very tall stone octagonal tower, visible across lush farmland from many directions.
Part of the Benefice of Bartestree Cross, including Lugwardine, Dormington, Westhide and Weston Beggard.
A member of Herefordshire Churches Tourism Group. open to visitors daily. www.visitherefordshirechurches.co.uk
The church has recently undergone building work to provide up-to-date facilities, suitable for the C21st! We now have mains water and mains sewage connection, allowing us to make huge improvements and providing an accessible toilet, suitable for all, and a kitchen.
We also have a level-floored hospitality area to the W end of our church, next to the kitchen and toilet area.
The worship area of the church remains as it was, but extra seating can be used in the renewed area for services with large congregations.
The bell-ringing chamber remains where it was, at the foot of the tower, but considerably smartened up.
The £84,000 needed for the project was raised with the following grants and community fundraising:
£10,000 by Garfield Weston Trust, £10,000 by Awards For All, £2,000 by The Rank Foundation Pebbles Scheme, £2,925 by All Churches Trust, £1,000 by National Lottery Anniversary awards, £3,000 by Laslett’s Charities, £5,000 by The Rowlands Trust, The Eveson Trust £5,000, Herefordshire Historic Churches Trust £8,000, £14,000 National Churches Trust, Laing Family Trust £2,000.
We raised £11,000 in the community between the start of the project and the summer of 2020, and completed our target with a huge final push community effort in the Autumn 2020.
The new facilities have allowed expansion of use especially for children's services and activities, and of course for the catering which has always followed events and services, but in the past has been onerous to organise.
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Our next major project is repair of the building, specifically the Chancel and the South roof. These plans have been approved by the Diocese and we hope to go out to tender in early 2023. When costs are known, grant applications will be made to fund the project. The Chancel repairs are helped by major funding from the Church Commissioners.
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A team of enthusiastic helpers have taken “Open the Book” to Withington Primary School once a month for several years now. Though we weren't able to go into school during the worst of Covid times, we did manage to film several OtB stories with our team and send them to school on our YouTube channel - with the marvellous help of our Intergenerational Missioner Christine.
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Look out for:
A good selection of well arranged books donated as a library exchange for a small donation, and we are a collection point for the Hereford Food Bank
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There is a ring of 6 bells of excellent tone. Our depleted bell team are not ringing regularly at the moment. Visiting Teams are welcome, and we are usually able to make up a team if requested for weddings.