St John the Baptist, Little Somerford
Building work at St John the Baptist
As you go through Little Somerford at the moment you will likely have noticed the builder's vehicles outside the Church. We love Dan Bailey Builders!
Over the last few years worrying cracks have been developing and we are now dealing with it. The vestry (a storage and changing area) round the back has been partly demolished and is now being rebuilt. Following that the buttress on the north-east corner will be underpinned.
The root cause of the damage is a combination of tree root action and ground conditions, but also the collapse and settlement of ancient shallow graves that lie under the walls.
Trees have been dealt with and archaeological oversight of the excavations revealed bones of at least five bodies, which have been legally exhumed and will be reburied in the churchyard when the works are over. Buttons in one of the graves give us a rough date of 18th century for one of the burials, likely a high status young female.
The Parochial Church Council is responsible for the maintenance of this Grade 1 Listed Building and has received some grant funding towards the works, the cost of which is likely to touch £40,000. This will deplete Little Somerford Church finances and reserves totally, and at the moment we will have to take out a small loan in order to meet the cost of the works. If you are able to make a donation to help us minimise the financial problem it would be very much appreciated.
Help fund our vital repairs
St John the Baptist is currently undergoing vital £40,000 structural repairs to address ground subsidence and ancient grave settlement, a project that will completely deplete our parish reserves. We would be incredibly grateful for any donation you can make to help us cover these costs and preserve this Grade I listed landmark.