Page 22 - link magazine

Church set to go ahead with vital conservation after securing £170k towards £360k target

St Mary’s preparing second

lottery bid for essential work

PUTTING aside November’s paintings in the church which
disappointment of not being form part of the much larger
awarded a Heritage Lottery Fund conservation project will be
(HLF) grant for important work undertaken.”
at St Mary’s Church in Lydiard He added that a new, refocused
Park, church appeal organisers are bid to support this wider project
undertaking work that cannot be will be re-submitted to the Heritage
put off any longer whilst refining a Lottery Fund in May, with a decision
new HLF grant submission. expected in September this year.
Appeal chairman Paul Gardner Paul commented: “Carrying out the
said: “We are pleased to announce work to the reredos in advance of
that following continued the HLF decision means that the
fundraising and a grant from public will be able to see that their
Wiltshire Historic Churches Trust, donations to our appeal fund are
we are now able to undertake being used to continue to restore
urgent conservation of the 18th and conserve the beautiful interior
Century reredos behind the church of the church.”
Paul Gardner explaining details found in the St Mary’s Church tryptch to the alter and the east Chancel wall. The fundraising continues a pace.
Archbishop of Canterbury when he visited Swindon in mid-September 2014 “This work to address long The appeals committee have now
standing damage and water secured over £170,000, towards
penetration will start in the Spring. a target of £360,000. The total
The Vine Church It will also help to inform how conservation scheme is in excess
£1.2million which the committee
conservation of the historic interior
“Enjoy one of our Sunday Services, and the extensive medieval wall hope the HLF will support.
you will find them refreshing
& relevant to everyday life!” 400th anniversary of unique artwork
Meets @ Liden Primary School (SN3 6EX) 20 JULY will mark the 400th Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry
Sunday 10.30am
01793 862224 www.vinechurch.co.uk anniversary of the completion and VII, the first Tudor king.
unveiling in 1615 of St Mary’s Arguably the most powerful
unique polyptych. woman in the 15th Century, she
The giant multi-panel artwork shares ancestry with the St John
depicts the family tree of the well family of Lydiard Park, through her
connected St John’s family who mother Margaret Beauchamp -
owned Lydiard House and its estate. played by Amanda Hale in the 2013
The church is preparing to BBC drama ‘The Red Queen’.
celebrate this historic anniversary The BBC’s adaptation of Hilary
every Sunday afternoon in June, Mantel’s book Wolf Hall, about
culminating with a opening on the Thomas Cromwell’s fixer, is sure to
weekend of the 25 and 26 July. attract tourists interested in life and
In advance of this, the Red worship during the Tudor period.
Queen panel will be on display The artwork will be on display
and talks given about the church’s with talks by Paul Gardner and
connections with Tudor and Stuart other members of the congregation
times. Rarely on display, the Red of St Mary’s on Sunday afternoons:
Queen panel illustrates the story of 22 March, 25 April and 24 May.

n SWINDON Heritage Magazine, the journal of everything historical in the
town, marked its sixth quarterly edition in February with the relaunch of a
new website swindonheritage.com. Pictured are Andy Binks of the Swindon
Society, Swindon Heritage writer Frances Bevan and editor Graham Carter.
22 swindonlink.com n February 2015