Roof Appeal – Message from Pauline Hayward: Church Warden, St. Mary’s Caldicot.
The work of saving the church from woodworm and death watch beetle has been completed. Because of the cost of putting up the scaffolding we decided to restore and protect the roof timbers, which have probably not been touched for years, and to paint the areas between the timbers, which in some areas have never been painted. This does two things: it protects the timbers from future attach by the dreaded beetles – they hate paint, and also to make the church brighter. The current work will cost around £40,000.
Unfortunately this work comes quickly after the £54,000 we had to spend on the roof and rain water goods which were needed urgently as the roof was leaking.
Some members of the church seem to be of the opinion that St. Mary’s has plenty of money. We do not. We have enough to pay the bills for the urgent work now being carried out. Then the pot will be empty. As many know the church has been explaining for years that the money coming in on the plate each week does not cover its out goings – we struggle along. Any monies available to us are dwindling and we still have areas of the church which will require work in the future – replacing the vestry floor and the South porch roof are on the list.
St. Mary’s has been standing here over 900 years. If you read the guide book you will appreciate how important and forward thinking a church it has always been. It was once a wealthy church but those days have passed. We are still needed by the community for their marriages, baptisms and funerals; we now need the help of the community to save the church fur future generations to use in the same way.
Think about it:
Ø If everyone in the town gave a £5 donation – less than a pack of cigarettes or two pints of beer – we would have more than enough money.
Ø If every communicant gave another £1 – we increase our weekly giving.
Ø If 40 people gave £1,000 - job done
Ø If 80 people gave £500 – same outcome.
You get the idea.
Talking of ideas – if anyone has any ideas how we can generate an income or make some money please let us know.
Caldicot Parish Church – A Holy Roof with Too Many Holes!
Two words we use all the time, punctual and punctuation, share a common Latin root, Punctus – ‘the act of dotting’. To be ‘punctual’ is to be literally “on the dot”. Perhaps less well known, but for obvious reasons, the Latin name for the well-known ‘dot maker’, the woodworm, is Anobium punctatum.
Unfortunately, the larvae of the woodworm or common furniture beetle have set up home in the roofs of the beautiful 15th century parish church of St Mary, Caldicot, and now threaten its future if left untreated.
Rector of the parish, Lyndon Harrison, commented “Caldicot Parish Church is one of Wales’ great treasures. A church has served the community on this site for over a thousand years. Each generation has maintained or improved the church with civic pride so that we are the beneficiaries of 900 years of improvements. Unfortunately, the church building now faces one of its greatest threats and, unless we act now, the building will deteriorate too far very quickly.”
“We are launching an appeal for donations and sponsorship in order to carry out the much-needed treatment of the infected timbers. The sums of money required are beyond the means of the weekly Sunday congregations. Over 400 beams require treatment and we are appealing to local businesses for donations and to the public to sponsor the treatment of a beam in memory of a loved one or as a memorial to an enjoyable experience in their lives.”
Local historian Dr Mark Lewis noted that “This building is packed full of the history of this place and its people through the ages. It holds a dark secret. Records indicate that by 1362, 90% of the population of Caldicot had been wiped out by the Black Death. Parts of the parish church were in use during this period and witnessed the suffering, funerals and requiem masses of its victims. Nevertheless, the church survived to be restored and modernised a century later, preserving elements of the earlier church as the only memorial to the tragedy of the plague here.”
“The population of Caldicot now face a new challenge to preserve their rich heritage. Let’s hope that they succeed so that this important historic building, which is also home to Caldicot’s War Memorial, can be saved for future generations.”
For information on details of the appeal please contact:
Reverend Lyndon Harrison
Telephone: 01291 420313
UK taxpayers may Gift Aid donations, adding 25% of their value to the appeal.
