A church where staff have been using towels to mop up incoming water is launching a public appeal to replace 191-year-old windows and frames which are cracked and crumbling.
Linthwaite’s Grade II listed Christ Church has been told it needs £85,000 for urgent work to stop water getting into the building – and has appealed to the Colne Valley community to help.
Of particular concern is the poor condition of the iron window frames which were installed in 1827 - the year the church was built - and are now very badly corroded.
Some of the nave window frames are so corroded that they are beyond repair and many of the glass panels are cracked and broken.
The Priest in Charge, Paul Witts, said rainwater was getting into the church through the corroded window frames.
“It has damaged to floor quite badly,” he said. “Water does come in. We manage to use towels to deal with it.”
As a Grade II Listed Building the church needs to replace the windows on a like-for-like basis and specialist glazing firms have been involved which is why the cost will be around £85,000.
Most of the rest of the building is fairly sound but church leaders working with architects have identified a need to create a warmer, more welcoming space with meeting rooms, a new kitchen, better access and toilet areas which will cost around £500,000 in total.
These are longer term plans that may take a few years to realise.
The church has now launched its More Than Bricks campaign to raise money for the restoration and renewal of the church building.
A special project launch weekend for More Than Bricks will be held on April 28 and 29 and the Bishop of Huddersfield, Jonathan Gibbs, will preside at the Sunday morning service at 11am which will mark the official launch of the project.
“More Than Bricks presents us with both a challenge and a great opportunity for all who value the past to demonstrate our sense of responsibility for all we have inherited,” Mr Witts added.
“It is an enterprise for the whole Linthwaite community to get behind and make the church building into a viable, inclusive, accessible and welcoming church for this and for future generation.”
