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Gothic Window Restored Thanks to Trust Grant

A church window dating back to the 14th century is being restored thanks in part to a £1,000 grant from the Rochester Bridge Trust.

The stonework of the damaged window at St Mary’s Church, Chiddingstone, is currently being repaired with wealden sandstone. This painstaking work is expected to be completed by the end of June.

Nigel Lucas, church fundraiser and retired warden, said: “This window dates from the Decorated Gothic period around 1350. It is heavily detailed with particularly fine tracery in its design.

“Unfortunately, over the years the stonework has gradually deteriorated, with many centuries’ worth of erosion taking their toll. The stained glass was blown out by a bomb blast during the Second World War.

“Having endured so many years of decline, it is all the more pleasing to see the window being restored to its former glory.

“This work will cost between £3,000 and £5,000 and is part of a wider series of restoration works that are expected to cost £93,000 to complete.

“Such sums, especially for a very small parish like ours, can take churches many years to raise. It makes a huge difference for us to have the interest and support from organisations like the Rochester Bridge Trust.”

Russell Race, Senior Warden at The Rochester Bridge Trust, said: “Rochester Bridge Trust has a proud tradition of making grants to safeguard the future of historic buildings across Kent. We were delighted to support St Mary’s Church with the restoration of its Gothic window and look forward to seeing it repaired.”

Notes:

1. The Rochester Bridge Trust is a charitable trust that exists to maintain the old and new bridges at Rochester and serve the travelling public. It is the only surviving bridge trust still serving its original purpose, and it has served the people of Kent since 1399. The Trust also supports numerous community and education projects across historic Kent and Medway.

2. The Trust’s assets all derive from endowments of land and money in the 14th and 15th centuries and are carefully managed in order to provide an income to fund bridge maintenance and local charitable grants. The Trust receives no external funding and is regulated by the Charity Commission.

For more information:

The Rochester Bridge Trust
5 Esplanade
Rochester
Kent ME1 1QE
Tel: 01634 846706
Fax: 01634 840125

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