Plan to breathe new life into S Norfolk church

The historic Forncett St Mary Church has been brought back to life by local residents as a community facility after it was closed and boarded-up in the 1980s.

 

But officials behind the restoration of the village church, near Long Stratton, hope that they will be more successful with funding bids after making an application to remove its redundancy status.

The Grade I listed building already has the backing of the Diocese of Norwich and will become a daughter church of the neighbouring Forncett St Peter Church. However, the change of status is awaiting confirmation from the Church Commissioners before it becomes official.

 

Graham Prior, chairman of the Friends of Forncett St Mary Church, who four years ago began to restore the redundant church with his wife May, said: “Not many churches come out of redundancy, it is normally the other way round. Once we are out of redundancy we can do everything here, but we are not planning to have regular Sunday services and we want the church to be used for community events. Coming out of redundancy will not make a big difference to what we use the church for, but it will make grant funding slightly easier.”

 

The friends group is looking to raise £30,000 to complete the restoration of four windows in the church nave. However, despite tight budgets, the group has managed to repair the windows in the chancel, vestry and tower and have installed a new altar, flooring and a heating system. Work is also underway to turn the vestry into an office space.