This week we’re filling in the final bits of paperwork for the NLHF project that enabled us to repair the Nave roof, giving us an opportunity to review what we’ve achieved over the last 18 months. With a great project team, we’ve made some exciting changes with the project- in spite of many of our original plans being modified to accommodate Covid restrictions. Here’s a quick summary. In summer 2020 the old lead was stripped off the nave roof, melted down and replaced- a description which doesn’t do justice to the in-depth process involving many skilled crafts people. Thanks to volunteer photographer Kath Gill, we’ve got a great documentation of the work- which we shared in an exhibition at the Wirksworth Festival in September. We commissioned local film maker Gavin Repton to make a number of films to help people find out more about the church and some of the building’s challenges. Visit the Wirksworth Team Ministry’s You Tube channel and you can take a virtual tour with poet Mark Gwynne Jones, watch a time lapse of the roof repairs or see the lead being recast, or hear a bit about the work we still need to if the building is to survive long into the future. To celebrate the completion of the roof repairs, we held a ‘Topping Out Ceremony’. Rod Kirkpatrick filmed the event and gave us some extraordinary ariel views of the church with his drone footage. The event made it on to local radio and news channels. We worked with Paper and Pixel to create new welcome signage, an exhibition to introduce people to the history of the building, along with self-guided trails visitors can take round with them. We’re really happy with the new logo Dawn designed for us featuring St Mary’s distinctive candle-snuff spire. Wilder Wirksworth have joined us in a project to help improve the churchyard for biodiversity, sowing and managing a patch of wildflower meadow with the help of Derbyshire Wildlife Trust. In September this year, we were finally able to run some of our planned in-person events, giving people a taste of lead related crafts- pewter embossing and casting as well as stained glass making. The courses booked up quickly, and we know people are keen for more of these opportunities in future. Even t’owd man has got involved in the project- brought to life by Andy Pollock and Paul Taylor, who now greet you in the church by the ancient stone carving- as well as guide you round some significant lead mining sites in town on our you tube channel. The team have learnt a huge amount from the project- not least how to use zoom! With more repairs needed to the transept rooves, as well as the stained glass and masonry, we’ll be applying for more funding again soon.
On Tuesday 18 August, we gathered to give thanks for the repairs that have made the nave roof watertight once again. The Right Reverend Libby Lane, bishop of Derby, took a day from her holiday to join us and blessed the repairs as part of the ceremony. Bishop Libby relished the chance to climb up onto the roof and view the town.Topping Out is a ceremony that originates from Scandinavia, but has been adopted in this country. We chose to include tying a bough of oak- a symbol of endurance and strength- to the apex of the nave roof. Before it was hoisted up, we decorated it with coloured tape made at the town's historic Haarlem mill. The bough was supplied by local company Full Grown, who have gained an international reputation for their grown furniture.With lead being so important to the town of Wirksworth, as well as the fabric of the building, we were delighted that the T'owd men- ghosts of lead miners made an appearance.You can hear a report on the celebration on BBC Radio Derby. Move the timer to 3.40.18 to find them. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p08mlbkd
As repairs to the nave roof are completed, we are grateful to reach this major milestone in preserving our beloved church. <span style="font-size: 1rem;">The project has been made possible by National Lottery players through the National Lottery Heritage Fund, who awarded the church a grant of £120,000.</span>‘Unfortunately, there’s a short fall in match funding, as other grant sources were diverted to emergency funding to help in the Covid Crisis continues David. ‘We’ve launched a crowd funding campaign to make up the difference- and tackle other parts of the roof that will ensure the church is there for future generations to enjoy.’Historic England put St Mary’s on its ‘Heritage at Risk’ register last autumn. The list identifies grade 1 buildings in poor condition, that if allowed to deteriorate may be lost altogether. The nave roof was just one of the reasons the church was deemed ‘at risk’. The team is dedicated to ensuring they can do the remaining essential repair works for to make the building water tight<span style="font-size: 1rem;">You can donate to St Mary's repairs on the Just Giving website:</span><span style="font-size: 1rem;">https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/stmaryschurch-wirksworth</span>
