Candidate for one of the English Heritage Angel Awards backed by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Plans to conserve the oldest and most important building on the Ickworth Estate in Suffolk, the medieval former St Mary's Church, the traditional burial place of the Hervey family of Ickworth since 1467, have taken a step forward thanks to the announcement of awards to the Ickworth Church Conservation Trust from English Heritage and Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
This HLF first-round pass*, including £52,100 of development funding, means that the Ickworth Church Conservation Trust can progress to the second-round of the HLF application process, where they will be applying for over £594,300 to save the church from ruin.
English Heritage has awarded the project £325,000, which will contribute to the projects costs should the second-round application to HLF be successful.
Frederick 8th Marquess of Bristol who set up the Ickworth Church Conservation Trust is spearheading the restoration of the Grade II* church and also hoping that the project will be considered for an English Heritage Angel Award. The "Angels", a new annual award scheme launched recently by Andrew Lloyd Webber, aims to celebrate the efforts of local people in saving their heritage. Winners will be presented with a golden Angel at a reception at the Palace Theatre in London's West End in the autumn hosted by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Lord Bristol said: "St Mary's Church is hugely important to the Ickworth Estate as it is the linchpin that links all the other historic buildings on the estate. It contains some 35 monuments to the Hervey family and dedications to their staff covering hundreds of years of local history. I am very grateful for the ongoing support of English Heritage and the HLF in our efforts to restore this beautiful church. We plan to make it fully accessible to the public and add interpretation so it can once again play an active part in telling the story of the wider Ickworth Estate. Our aim is to build a core of volunteers to help open, care for and maintain it."
Lord Bristol continued: "My colourful ancestors over the past five centuries whose portraits visitors see when going round Ickworth House are buried in this church. The Ickworth Estate attracts over 160,000 visitors each year and I hope being able to see the church will make visits even more enjoyable in future."
English Heritage Chief Executive Dr Simon Thurley said: "I am delighted that English Heritage is able to help fund the vital structural repairs needed to save the church. I am also delighted that the Ickworth Church Conservation Trust have applied for an Angel Award. Rescues like this one take huge amounts of voluntary time and effort and the people undertaking them - often groups of local people working in their spare time - deserve greater recognition. I hope others will come forward to share their passion for heritage and show us what they are doing to save England's sometimes neglected glories for generations to come."
Robyn Llewellyn, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund East of England, said: "This is an exciting project at the start of a journey which could transform the church. We look forward to hearing more about the scheme, and plans for greater community engagement so that more people from across the community are offered the opportunity to explore and enjoy this beautiful historic building. There is still work for the trust to do in developing their plans, but HLF will be offering them full support in taking their application forwards."
St Mary's Church was sold to the 7th Marquess of Bristol in 1986 after it had been declared redundant by Church Commissioners. Since that time the church and churchyard have fallen into a state of severe disrepair and it has been on English Heritage's Heritage at Risk register ever since it began in 1998.
St Mary's Church is a medieval church with major 19th century alterations, including the tower. It includes a 15th century wall painting of the Angel of Annunciation, roundels of Flemish painted glass dating back to the 14th century as well as a mid 13th century chancel. Emergency repairs were made to the building at the end of 2008 costing £57,300, of which £37,000 was from English Heritage which is included as part of the current English Heritage grant.
The English Heritage Angel Awards are co-funded by the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation. www.andrewlloydwebberfoundation.com
