Tunstall Church Preservation Trust has been awarded nearly £24,000 for essential re-roofing work which will stop water penetration and more harm to the interior – especially erosion of the interior walls and plasterwork. The grant arrived at a crucial point because, if left much longer, damage to the much-loved church would have been beyond repair.
St Peter and St Paul’s church is a listed building that dates from the early 14th century and continues to hold a valued place in the community. While the tower and nave have been a picturesque ruin for some 300 years, the chancel and vestry – the area to benefit from the repair and restoration work – have remained in constant use for services, latterly on traditional dates in the rural calendar and for occasional weddings and baptisms. Relatives of generations of local people buried in the graveyard (which is maintained by Halvergate PCC), plus regular walkers and those traveling the Weavers’ Way make for a steady stream of visitors to this landmark site.
Robert More from Tunstall (Norfolk) Church Preservation Trust, custodians of St Peter and St Pauls, said: “We are delighted to receive this funding from the Culture Recovery Fund. It makes possible the work needed, using a local contractor, to preserve the church – a place of worship held dear in the community and a place of history attracting many to it from far and wide. We are able also now to consider additional uses of the building and further extend its reach.”