Church undergoes £300k facelift
THE church in the ghost village of Imber near Warminster has benefited from a £300,000 facelift.
The preservation of the Grade-I listed church of St Giles is the last remaining evidence of life in the village, which was evacuated in 1943.
Access to the church is restricted but on the Easter weekend nearly 2,000 people visited Imber, despite the wet weather.
The church was built in 1280, with 15th century additions.
Repairs began in 2006 after the Churches Conservation Trust were commissioned to take over the care and repair of the church, which has included renovating the roof, walls, drainage and masonry.
Neil Skelton, the CCT's regional director, said: "It officially became redundant but as it was historically an important building it was decided it must be preserved.
"People do ask the question why we are repairing this church but we are under obligation to repair it."
The funding for the renovation project has been shared between the CCT and the Army, who use the grounds for live-firing exercises.
Next on the repair list are the wall paintings, including a chequerboard pattern in red and white, which is believed to date back to the 13th century.
The Army took over the village during the Second World War so soldiers could practice street fighting in preparation for the Normandy landings.
A final phase of restorations to complete plasterwork and stabilisation of wall paintings is expected to take place this summer.
10:01am Friday 28th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: Russell Hawker, WESTBURY on 10:09am Fri 28 Mar 08
What a ludicrous waste of money - on a public facility that actually cannot be accessed most of the time and serving a non-existent community which left [bold]65[/bold] years ago.
There are are far more important facilities which deserve such money, such as many other Grade 1 Listed churches which are actually used by their local populations.
Keeping this monument to wasted money open just prolongs the agony for the relatives and friends of the good people who were forced to move and make new lives in new places over half a century ago.
Ridiculous!
What a ludicrous waste of money - on a public facility that actually cannot be accessed most of the time and serving a non-existent community which left
65 years ago.
There are are far more important facilities which deserve such money, such as many other Grade 1 Listed churches which are actually used by their local populations.
Keeping this monument to wasted money open just prolongs the agony for the relatives and friends of the good people who were forced to move and make new lives in new places over half a century ago.
Ridiculous!
Posted by: Wiltshireflag Man, Trowbridge on 11:03am Fri 28 Mar 08
We visited the Church on Easter Sunday and were overwhelmed by the building, and we must put into perspective that Imber is an evocative place with many memories for the people of Wiltshire. Let us hope that the ranges and the church can be opened on a few more weekends in the future to enable more people to view this ancient building.
We visited the Church on Easter Sunday and were overwhelmed by the building, and we must put into perspective that Imber is an evocative place with many memories for the people of Wiltshire. Let us hope that the ranges and the church can be opened on a few more weekends in the future to enable more people to view this ancient building.
Posted by: Didley Marsh, Wilts on 12:58pm Fri 28 Mar 08
I quite like Imber, and the Church there. I don't think it's a waste of money as such, it's good to preserve some heritage.
I quite like Imber, and the Church there. I don't think it's a waste of money as such, it's good to preserve some heritage.
Posted by: Alan, Warminster on 1:25am Sat 29 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Russell Hawker[/bold] wrote:
What a ludicrous waste of money - on a public facility that actually cannot be accessed most of the time and serving a non-existent community which left [bold]65[/bold] years ago.
There are are far more important facilities which deserve such money, such as many other Grade 1 Listed churches which are actually used by their local populations.
Keeping this monument to wasted money open just prolongs the agony for the relatives and friends of the good people who were forced to move and make new lives in new places over half a century ago.
Ridiculous!
[/quote] Totally agree..
£300k for a toilet is an ultimate disgrace..
Russell Hawker wrote:
What a ludicrous waste of money - on a public facility that actually cannot be accessed most of the time and serving a non-existent community which left 65 years ago.
There are are far more important facilities which deserve such money, such as many other Grade 1 Listed churches which are actually used by their local populations.
Keeping this monument to wasted money open just prolongs the agony for the relatives and friends of the good people who were forced to move and make new lives in new places over half a century ago.
Ridiculous!
Totally agree..
£300k for a toilet is an ultimate disgrace..
Posted by: Russell Hawker, WESTBURY on 5:33am Sat 29 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Didley Marsh[/bold] wrote:
I quite like Imber, and the Church there. I don't think it's a waste of money as such, it's good to preserve some heritage.[/quote] I quite like Imber and the church too!
I have enjoyed visiting the place about once a year for many years.
It is the inaccessibility itself, for most of the year, and the ghost-village feel of the place which adds extra interest.
Its also a different place to walk a dog, (with a car trip).
But, I don't think it justifies so much money which could have gone to a better use on a church which is actually used every week.
I think the initial fund-raisers did really well to raise a few thousand, but the fact that the repairs have actually costed hundreds of £1,0000s, rather than the few hundred pounds raised by campaigners, shows the disconnection between responsibility and local politics in this issue.
Didley Marsh wrote:
I quite like Imber, and the Church there. I don't think it's a waste of money as such, it's good to preserve some heritage.
I quite like Imber and the church too!
I have enjoyed visiting the place about once a year for many years.
It is the inaccessibility itself, for most of the year, and the ghost-village feel of the place which adds extra interest.
Its also a different place to walk a dog, (with a car trip).
But, I don't think it justifies so much money which could have gone to a better use on a church which is actually used every week.
I think the initial fund-raisers did really well to raise a few thousand, but the fact that the repairs have actually costed hundreds of £1,0000s, rather than the few hundred pounds raised by campaigners, shows the disconnection between responsibility and local politics in this issue.
Posted by: Disgusted of, Westbury on 5:28pm Tue 1 Apr 08
£300,000 for a bit of tarting up a property that has lasted since 1280? Excellent value for money.
£300,000 for a bit of tarting up a property that has lasted since 1280? Excellent value for money.
Posted by: Itchy Harris, Westbury on 5:31pm Tue 1 Apr 08
[quote][bold]Disgusted of[/bold] wrote:
£300,000 for a bit of tarting up a property that has lasted since 1280? Excellent value for money. [/quote]
Much better spending it on the church than wasting it on a bloody statue of Russell Hawker in the Market Place.
Disgusted of wrote:
£300,000 for a bit of tarting up a property that has lasted since 1280? Excellent value for money.
Much better spending it on the church than wasting it on a bloody statue of Russell Hawker in the Market Place.
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