We may be nearer to finding out the age of our church. The local history group have been given grant funding for carbon dating of the roof timbers, and dendrochronology if the carbon dating doesn't give results. Thanks to the group for putting the application together and to CWAAS for awarding the grant.
As part of our historic research into St John's , we have got interested in the roof space! If you've visited you'll know that one of the church's quirks is that it has a ceiling (c1807). Above that (through a rather small opening) is a hotchpotch of timbers, but we are hoping they tell a story. It appears that the roof is of two different dates, with the east end appearing earlier than the west. Where the timbers change there are signs that something has once been fixed, and it's been suggested that it could have been an external bell at the west end of an older chapel. The local history group have put in for a grant from Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society to fund expert advice and surveys. It would be great to have a clearer understanding of the story of the existing building.
Some of the Heritage Group pushed their technical skills to a new level when 5 of us "met" online earlier this week. It all went very smoothly except for one member who was forced to roam the house looking for a quiet place! Well done everyone.We have reviewed our plans after the Lottery disappointment. Our first priority has to be sorting out the damp problem which is the reason for the building being on the At Risk register. This will mean removing the 1970s cement render to allow the building to breathe again, repairing and replacing guttering and downspouts and checking external drainage. New internal and external finishes will be in traditional materials. The photo in this article shows lettering found under the plaster in the 1970s and now hidden. We intend to apply for grants which can support this work and to concentrate our fundraising on building up a "war chest" so that we have matched funding for the grant bodies who require it. We now have a JustGiving page, (www.justgiving.com and search for St John's Waberthwaite). Donations can be gift aided very easily, so that will help us maximise any gifts. It would be great if everyone who would have visited St John's and left a donation in "normal" times would consider this as an option in these, more challenging, times. The church is still closed, but we look forward to the time when we can invite you to visit for worship.
We have just had a real boost to our efforts in raising funds for the work needed on the church. CGP, the publishing company based in Broughton-in-Furness, have given us a grant to help us on our way. This gets us further towards the money we need to build up so we can apply to those grant-givers who need us to have matched funding. This is hard for a small community who have to work through the year to meet day to day running costs. We have also set up a JustGiving page which will make it simpler for those who want to donate to St John's and will encourage them to Gift Aid their contribution. Later this month, look for news about our project on the John Betjeman website. Watch this space for further updates - we are hoping to have an online meeting of the Heritage Group - hence the title of this article!
