Appeal for volunteers to help keep Grade II-listed church open

A charity is appealing for volunteers to help keep a Grade II-listed Norman church in Northampton open to the public.

St Peter’s Church, in Marefair, was made redundant in the late nineties and came into the care of The Churches Conservation Trust (CCT) in 1998.

The building is currently opened by volunteers three days a week, but more are needed to help keep it open in the longer term.

The charity is also appealing for volunteers to help tidy up the building, at a spring clean event on Saturday, June 15, from 10am to 4pm.

Volunteering officer Karen Fishwick said: “We’re looking for new volunteers to join our team and help out with things like the cleaning and stewarding of this spectacular church.

“Our current volunteers will be taking part in the forthcoming spring clean, doing activities like dusting the lectern and putting special beeswax on the historic pews. However, the event is open to all and is a great opportunity to find out more about volunteering here.”

The CCT says the building is one of the country’s best preserved Norman churches. It was built around 1130, and contains examples of early carved stonework inside.

The charity carried out extensive repair work on the building, including on the roof, and to restore some of the wall-paintings inside.