A worn wooden door dating back to the 14th century will be restored to its former glory thanks to a £1,000 grant from the Rochester Bridge Trust.
The decaying west door at All Saints’ Church, Graveney, near Faversham, has stood for more than 600 years, but has suffered gradual wear and tear and is now in need of restoration.
The Reverend Gill Reed, vicar of All Saints, said: “The beautiful, arched 14th-century door, which we believe to be characteristic of the era, is in urgent need of repair. Its hinges are rusted, and there is clear daylight between some of the wide, wooden slats.
“We are extremely grateful to The Rochester Bridge Trust for awarding us this generous grant and look forward to seeing the door fully restored, a specialist task that we hope will be completed this summer.
“We’d like to have the restored door back in place for winter, as we’re sure it will help us reduce our heating costs.”
Russell Race, Senior Warden at the Rochester Bridge Trust, said: “The Rochester Bridge Trust has a proud tradition of making grants to religious institutions, safeguarding the future of historic buildings across the county and beyond.
“We were delighted to support All Saints’ Church with the restoration of its 600-year-old west door. It should be a sight to behold once it’s fully 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