The historic stained-glass windows of a much-loved town centre church are set to shine once more, thanks to a grant from a medieval charity.
The stained-glass windows in St John the Divine Church on Railway Street in Chatham are to undergo significant restoration works thanks to funding from the Rochester Bridge Trust.
A grant of £169,500 has been awarded to the Diocese of Rochester towards the repair and restoration of all the church’s stained-glass and first-floor windows, as well as to the cleaning of a memorial to a former member of the Court of Wardens and Assistants of the Rochester Bridge Trust, David John Day.
Nicola Parks, Director of Charitable Projects at the Rochester Bridge Trust, said: “We are pleased to present this grant to support the restoration of the windows in St John the Divine Church. This building has several historical links with the Trust, including being designed by one of our former Bridge Engineers, Robert Smirke.
“One of the windows to be refurbished was also presented to the church in memory of John Foord, who worked on the construction of the Victorian Bridge and Rochester Esplanade.”
St John’s is the only Grade II*-listed building in Chatham town centre. Having been closed since the late 1990s, the church was re-opened in 2021 and is currently undergoing a multi-million pound restoration funded by Medway Council, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Dorothy Kerin Trust, Benefact Trust, National Churches Trust and Church Commissioners.
Due to rising costs, the work on the windows was at risk of being excluded from the restoration project. However, with the Rochester Bridge Trust’s contribution, this vital aspect of the church’s heritage is now being fully embraced.
Matthew Girt, Diocese of Rochester, said “Thanks to the Rochester Bridge Trust we are now able to continue with our plan to fully restore the windows. This is a vital part of our work to bring the building into the best possible condition for the benefit of the community, and we are grateful to the Trust for enabling us to carry out this activity alongside the main programme of restoration, which will be completed this summer.”
Since reopening, the church has welcomed more than 1,500 visitors. Its long-term vision includes delivering a vibrant Community Programme and preserving its rich history.
David John Day was a member of the Court from 1828 until 1831. He is commemorated within the church with a memorial tablet on the north east wall of the nave.
For more information about the church, visit its website here. Or to find out about grants offered by the Rochester Bridge Trust, see www.rbt.org.uk/grants