Seaside church's restoration work finally begins

Phase One of the project at the 19th Century church at the heart of the popular seaside village will deliver a number of improvements to the North Porch, and includes undertaking roof and stonework repairs, redecoration, new lighting and drainage.

In addition, new internal glass doors will be installed to enhance the entrance. The ultimate goal of this phase of the project is to make it an inviting and accessible point of entry for the villagers and its visitors to enjoy the services and the regular events that take place.

The Charmouth Changing Spaces team & the PCC of St Andrew’s said they were:
"Very pleased to announce that construction work has started to help restore the church to its former glory.

"This is a huge step forward & the team are busy planning the various phases of the work that will be required."

The work is as a result of a quinquennial inspection that highlighted that the church was in need of some serious repairs and renovation.

During the work, the North Porch will not accessible and hence the temporary entrance will be via the Tower door. All efforts have been made to minimise the disruption to services and events. The work is expected to be completed by late Spring.

John Smith, Client Project Manager at Charmouth Changing Spaces said:

"Any endeavour of this type can only be delivered through collaborative working and effective team work. To that end, the PCC team have appointed a respected and experienced team comprising B2 Architects Ltd and Conservation Contractor Ellis & Co.

"We would also like to thank the guidance and support we have received from the Diocese Advisory Committee (DAC) at Salisbury and the Erskine Muton Trust to achieve this milestone. We are all looking forward to this work being completed and helping the church move forward with its future restoration plans."

The cost of the works is being met by fundraising by members of the PCC and the wider congregation and community, and by match-funded grants.

Contact info@charmouthchangingspaces.org or visit the Charmouth Changing Spaces website at charmouthchangingspaces.org.