St Peter’s Church in Horninghold was recently awarded a grant of £174,926 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) to address repairs, make the building more accessible, and celebrate its history.
Through the project, - officially titled ‘SPIRE 1172 - Saving St Peters Church, Horninghold, and Involving People with our Heritage’- the community hopes to secure the future of its Grade II* listed church.
The project began in response to urgent repairs beyond the means of the small village community, but it became clear there were greater possibilities for St Peter’s, as PCC member Mary Twidell explains:
“Through making the application for the NLHF grant we became aware of, and excited by, the opportunities this could give to tell the story of the history of our church and village,” she says
“It is very humbling and inspiring when you walk along the path to the church and pray within it to realise that for over eight centuries people have come here and offered prayers of joy and sorrow. We want this to continue over the next centuries.
“From the very start we have offered prayers for the task before us and we saw the answer to our prayers with the success of the NLHF grant and other grants that, together with the years of fundraising within our community, are making the project possible. It is our hope that by encouraging others to engage with the heritage and come into the church they will experience a sense of a welcoming Christian community.”
Any project of this scale takes a lot of effort, as Mary and the rest of the PCC have found, but they are keen to encourage others through what they’ve learned.
“It has been a very slow journey!” she says “The PCC has spent hours of work on this and is so relieved that this has been rewarded. In our application we had letters of support from our Archdeacon and Area Deans.
“We are aware that all the churches in the Launde Deanery Minster Community are old and face significant challenges maintaining the legacy of heritage we are responsible for. We want to share what we’ve learned through the process, and it is our intention to hold events for members within the Minster Community to give guidance on heritage issues. Watch this space…”
The specific goals of the project are to address urgent repairs, including repairing the Collyweston slate chancel and porch roofs, and making the building watertight, safe, and open for a variety of uses. The project aims to involve many people from the community, including through researching and sharing stories about their heritage.
St Peter’s has avoided most ‘typical’ restorations over the years and remains relatively untouched. This is partly why it is designated as a significant Grade II* building, along with features such as its Collyweston slates and a Knights Templar coffin lid.
The decline of Collyweston slate and its less frequent use on unlisted and new buildings has resulted in a loss of knowledge and expertise in traditional detailing and construction. The PCC is keen to use this project to help raise awareness around using appropriate roofing materials and detailing, as well as educating people more widely about Collyweston stone slate. Led by a Heritage Activities Coordinator training activities will be incorporated into the project.
St Peter’s Church is the only communal building in Horninghold and an important hub to many, being home to worship services, village meetings, and other community events. The PCC is keen to deliver activity that will highlight the building’s significance, and the people who were involved with it - from the 12th century to the present. Among the plans, they will provide opportunities for people to find out more about the local wildlife, while local children will be invited to participate in a nature survey during ‘Love your Burial Ground Week’.
The project is still at an early stage, but the hope is that by the end, the church will be removed from the Buildings at Risk Register and that they will have protected, conserved and revitalised their heritage so that more people will be able to support and enjoy St Peter’s in the future. Volunteers are currently being recruited, and a website and social media are being developed to encompass details of the project as it develops.
Sandra Griffin, PCC Treasurer, and the whole of the church congregation, are looking forward to the project taking shape: “We are thrilled to have received this support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund,” says Sandra. “Thanks to National Lottery players, vital repair work will preserve our heritage. Community activities will extend our knowledge and skills and will give us the basis for events that can be replicated in the future and continue beyond the life of the project.”