Raising the roof

'What are they doing to the church?' passers-by have been asking themselves this week as scaffolding has gone up at the east end of the church, and contractors have set up their work enclosure on the north side.

The good news is that the church roof is about to undergo much needed and extensive repairs, thanks to a grant of £100,000 which St James's has received from the Government's Listed Places of Worship roof repair fund..

The grant doesn't cover the total cost but, with a contribution from our own building fund, we have been able to embark upon this work to help secure the future of St James's as the important and much-loved landmark that it is.

The work is due to be completed early in May.

Our next job is to repair the stonework, but that is another story.

Inside the roof space