CCT saves another historic churche for the nation
This brings the number of churches in the care of CCT to 341, the largest estate of historic buildings protected by a charity after National Trust and English Heritage.
The Trust’s fundraising efforts to save such churches have redoubled since the cuts in grant from central government last autumn. Just by visiting these wonderful buildings the public can help them too, and the Trust welcomes new Supporters and volunteers.
St Nicholas' Church, Saintbury, is a Grade I Listed Medieval church on the Cotswold Way near Broadway in Gloucestershire. Its tall and slender spire, seen from all around, is a notable landmark. The building’s earliest known feature is a sundial considered to be Late Saxon.
Additions and alterations were made during the 13th-and 14th-centuries and further refurbishments in the 17th-and early 18th-centuries included the addition of finely carved box pews.
Visitors will be interested in the Arts and Crafts features that were added in the early 20th-century, most notably those by C R Ashbee, including gilding the chancel and the north transept roofs, and the notable collection of 17th- and 18th-century ledger slabs.
The church was declared redundant at the end of 2007. The condition on vesting is reasonably sound, but a programme of repairs including drainage works will be arranged by Nick Joyce, the Trust’s appointed Architect for the project. Work is due to start in late summer 2011.
St Nicholas' will be open to the public between 11.00am - 4.00pm on Good Friday 22 April and Easter Saturday 23 April. On the Saturday, the Trust’s regional conservation manager will be on hand to welcome visitors.