Framing England's History: The difference our Annual Appeal is making.

Churches Conservation Trust works with specialist craftspeople to conserve and repair, and to minimise the environmental impact on the historic windows in our care.

The CCT Annual Appeal: Windows, Framing England’s History has proved to be one of our most successful to date raising funds in the region of £60,000. Annual appeals such as this enable CCT to use expert craftspeople to conserve these important parts of our history and collection.   

Two churches that will be benefiting from specialist window conservation work of Jim Budd and his small team of specialist craftspeople, this year, will be St Michael & All Angels' Church, Brownsover in Warwickshire and the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Yazor in Herefordshire. Jim Budd ACR is an ICON accredited Conservator, has worked with CCT for many years, having recently completed work at St Mary’s in Shrewsbury.  

St Michael and All Angels’ is a twelfth-century church, almost entirely rebuilt by Sir George Gilbert Scott in 1876 for Allesley Boughton-Leigh of nearby Brownsover Hall. Fortunately, due to the sympathetic rebuilding, the primitive window forms were reproduced or restored, rather than replaced with Scott's favourite Decorated style. The east window contains 20th-century stained glass commemorating Lawrence Sheriff, the founder of Rugby School. The interior is filled with an interesting and idiosyncratic collection of English and foreign carved woodwork, including a lovely organ case, made in 1660 for St John's College, Cambridge.  

Unfortunately, it was discovered in early 2024 that lower central panel of the east window of the chancel had suffered significant impact damage and the window depicting Christ on the cross had to be boarded, throwing the interior into darkness. This church is now kept locked due to repeated incidents of vandalism, but thankfully, there is light at the end of the tunnel as CCT have commissioned Jim Budd to repair the lower damaged section and it is due to be re-installed in the coming months. Jim has removed the panel and will painstakingly repair the lead matrix, replace seven broken painted quarries and to repair one painted quarrie. He will paint new replacement pieces to match the legs and feet of the figure of Christ, before refitting the panel. 

This is welcome news to the new community that has grown around the church in recent years with a new housing development, seeing services at St Michael and All Angels’ increasing from one annual services, to three in the past year, and well supported cleaning and open days, bringing new life and light to this beautiful historic church.  

The Victorian Church of St Mary the Virgin, Yazor overlooks the Wye Valley, built at the generosity of the Price family of nearby Foxley between 1843 and 1855. The architect was George Moore but the spire and remarkable fittings were completed by the rector, The Reverend R L Freer. The light and atmospheric interior is a riot of colourful painting and wonderful wood carving, lit by a kaleidoscope of stained glass. During storms late last year, a temporary covering on one of these windows was blown out, exposing the irreplaceable interior to water damage and urgent action was needed. Jim Budd is working to replace this window, which CCT’s Local Community Officer, Tracy Genever, says couldn’t be more timely; 

“I am so pleased that we are able to repair this window now, so that the church can be its best for a wedding that will be taking place next year. We are so lucky to have so many generous supporters, making this work possible. I know that the couple will be so grateful on their special day.” 

CCT are extremely grateful to everyone who has supported the Annual Appeal: Windows, Framing England’s History.  Your support has a visible and positive impact on the fabric of the buildings and those communities who find joy within them.