Eight years ago, St Nicholas Church in the village of Twyford was fundraising in order to finance some increasingly urgent repairs. As for many historic church buildings, its roof was among the main causes for concern.
Grant applications were made and a relatively conventional restoration project was in the offing.
Unfortunately, a straightforward solution was not on the cards. The needs of this Grade II* listed building in the Heart of Norfolk benefice became altogether more complex when, in February 2021, a large tree in the churchyard was uprooted and crashed down onto the tower – damaging the bellcote.
Fast forward to February 2025, and much of the structure is now enrobed by scaffolding as the painstaking work to restore St Nicholas’ tower to its former glory – and structural integrity – is under way.
Many of the arrangements for this project have been supported by the Diocese of Norwich Care and Development of Church Buildings team.
The team helped secure funding from the Norfolk Churches Trust, a charity which specialises in offering help to the hundreds of centuries-old places of worship dotted throughout the county.
Arrangements were also made by the Care and Development of Church Buildings team for the work to be carried out by Spire, a construction and architectural consultancy which specialises in supporting churches and affiliated organisations.
Anna Venn-Moncur, Historic Church Building Support Officer, who works within the Care and Development of Church Buildings team, said:
“In February 2021, the tree fell down onto the bellcote of the tower, leaving the church unusable and shut. We were made aware of this at the diocese and managed to claim for the insurance…and we managed to get some funding from the Norfolk Churches Trust to cover the cost to repair the roof.
“We are very grateful that Spire at the diocese have been able to take on the work. Hopefully soon the church will be open for everyone to use again.”
Discussing ongoing backing for St Nicholas’ and many other churches like it across the diocese, Linda Joel, Secretary of the Norfolk Churches Trust, said:
“We were approached about eight years ago for a grant to help with the repairs, which we offered. The parish had been busy fundraising to build that, but in the meantime, a very large tree came down three years ago and caused huge amount of damage.
“We feel really passionate about helping to restore and keep these village churches open for people to visit, and for continued use within the villages.
“The Trust definitely believes that collaboration is the way to go. The demands of money is to keep the church going is huge. And it’s fantastic that we have such a wide range of expertise in different organisations; with the Diocese, with the trust and other charities. So I think it’s really important we work really hard together so that we can offer a wider support.”
Does your church need support on a repair, restoration or maintenance project?
A Project Support Pack guide can be viewed and downloaded here, providing answers to many frequently asked questions.
Alternatively, you can get in contact directly with the Care and Development of Church Buildings team – contact details can be accessed here.