A DROITWICH PARISH church has marked the grand re-opening of its 14th century tower during a celebratory weekend of its rich heritage.
St Marys and All Saints Church in Hampton Lovett invited visitors to climb its faithfully restored tower as it opened its doors over the weekend for Heritage Open Days.
An official ceremony to mark the grand opening of the church tower was led by Worcester Archdeacon, the Venerable Reverend Canon Mark Badger. The restoration project was officially completed in November 2023.
The centuries old church tower has been beautifully restored thanks to a gratefully received boost of funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The £100,000 in funding was supported by church reserves and local fundraising efforts to re-point the tower with lime mortar and restore its spiral staircase and priest’s room.
Churchwarden, Rachel Wyatt, told the Standard: “We are genuinely grateful to the National Lottery Heritage Fund, thank you to the lottery players and the generosity of people in the local and wider community.”
Over 230 visitors graced the church on September 7 and 8 to bask in its rich heritage which was showcased through exhibitions, a beautifully made model and church tours.
Rachel’s husband, Martin Wyatt, and fellow church patron, Pete Lawrensen built the small scale model of the church and its adjoining railway to coincide with Heritage Open Days’ Networks, Routes and Connections theme.
Visitors also learned about the locally relevant Operation Starfish in World War II, and discovered the Monarch’s Way footpath passing through the churchyard – the escape route of the future King Charles II after the Battle of Worcester in 1651.
Rachel added: “”It was fabulous, to have so many visitors was amazing. The church was full, it was lovely.
“The weekend was a huge success. Loads of people went up [the tower] and they loved it. Everyone came down excited.”
Visitors came from far and wide, with the furthest travelling visitor hailing from Montreal, Canada.
A parade of classic Morgan cars, which have been designed and manufactured in nearby Malvern for over 110 years, greeted visitors on arrival.
Patrons from the six other parishes in the churches’ benefice including Doverdale, Ombersley, Hartlebury, Emley Lovett, Elmbridge, and Rushock were also welcomed alongside members of the Pakington and Partington families who have lived locally for generations.
As part of the church’s lottery funding arrangement, it has hosted community events throughout the restoration project including lime mortar workshops, scaffolding tours and visits from local historical and civic societies.
To continue this work, it is now looking into hosting ecological projects and delving into its archives to share more of its rich history with patrons and visitors.
