A Ramsgate church’s restoration fund has been given a boost by the Rochester Bridge Trust.
The Friends of St Augustine’s Church preservation campaign received a £1,400 grant from the Trust to help pay for the restoration of the historic building’s stained glass windows as well as the metal and stonework surrounds.
This painstaking and specialist task, which began in April 2013 and is due to be completed by the autumn, is part of a programme of works to restore the church to its former glory.
St Augustine’s was built by the prominent Victorian architect Augustus Welby Pugin, whose Gothic revival work culminated in the interior design of the Houses of Parliament.
Pugin described St Augustine’s, built next to his home The Grange, as his “ideal church”. As such, it draws architectural students and enthusiasts from across the globe.
Keith Andrews, treasurer of the Friends of St Augustine’s group, said: “This work to repair the church’s windows and crumbling stonework is absolutely vital, as it will finally secure the future of the building.”
“This church is Pugin’s final ecclesiastical architectural statement,” added Mr Andrews. “It has been badly affected by 150 years of wear and tear but we are now taking steps to restore it fully.
“I’d like to thank The Rochester Bridge Trust for their grant, which is very welcome indeed. Every donation we receive adds to our fundraising total and brings us closer to the £1 million we need to complete the works.”
Russell Race, Senior Warden at The Rochester Bridge Trust, said: “Rochester Bridge Trust has a proud tradition of making grants to safeguard the historic fabric of important heritage buildings across the county.”
“We were delighted to help The Friends of St Augustine’s finance this important restoration work and look forward to seeing the church once the windows and stonework are 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