Kimpton Parish Church Restoration Trust 2026

Who are we?

Kimpton Parish Church Restoration Trust was set up in April 1984 as a registered charity, with the aim of funding maintenance and restoration work on the Church, thereby assisting the Parochial Church Council to carry out these tasks.  Under the terms of the Restoration Trust, monies raised or donated can only be used for this purpose and cannot be used for the day to day running expenses of the church. KPCRT was reformed as Charity Incorporated Organisation (CIO 1216579) in January 2026. 

What is needed?

The Church is a Grade 1 listed building dating back to the 13th century.  It needs good maintenance.

Because of the lack of suitable building stone in the area, the Church fabric consists largely of flints embedded in lime mortar and this requires constant vigilance and maintenance.  Currently the fabric is in good condition thanks to considerable expenditure over the years since the formation of the Restoration Trust. However, a building of such age and construction needs constant monitoring in the form of a regular and extensive inspection every five years by a specialised architect. The last review triggered a extensive work on the tower’s stonework and general repairs costing over £100,000. The next inspection is due in 2027 and the report will provide the basis for any future work.

Financial Support and Art Show

Between the formation of the Restoration Trust in 1984 and 2005, work on the Church was largely concerned with essential exterior stonework including the re-stabilisation of the tower, re-slating of the nave and chancel, improving the ground drainage around the building and electrical rewiring, all of which totalled some £610,000. During this time English Heritage was actively supporting parish churches and we were fortunate then to receive some significant grants to help.

Now however, there is virtually no grant funding. The Trust is currently almost entirely reliant on donations and local fund-raising activities in order to generate income. The Kimpton May Festival, inaugurated in 1965, has been a particularly important source of funding in that context and we owe huge thanks to all those people who have worked so tirelessly to make fundraising events a success. In particular we owe a debt of gratitude to the members of the Trust involved with the Kimpton Art Show since it was established in 1982. The show is run by the Trust as part of the May Festival, bringing together the wider Kimpton community to enjoy the work of local artists in the beautiful and historic setting of the Church.

The money which local events bring to the Restoration Trust together with the generosity of the local community form the bedrock of our funding. Projects funded since 1984 are detailed below:

Why keep Kimpton Church?

In 1965 the villagers were asked if they wanted to keep and maintain the Church or allow it to gently fall into disrepair and perish. The reason for this radical question being asked was because the Chancel roof was leaking causing damage to the organ (which is why it was moved) and more significantly the roof of the Dacre Chapel had fallen in. The Church was crumbling.

The decision was taken that money should be raised and the Church restored. The Kimpton May Festival was born to fulfil the need for funds. This momentous decision was a critical moment in the life of a building which had seen its first vicar in place in 1239.

Much money is spent on maintaining it, but to balance this, each year the Church gives 5-10% of its income to charity.

Recent Restoration Activity

The Church has stood on its present site since the 13th century. It is hardly surprising that there have been many additions, alterations and repairs made which have overlaid and extended the original structure. The following photographs and descriptions will give a flavour of some of the restoration work needed doing since 1997.

The most recent Restoration activity (2022-4) involved replacing some of the heavily weathered stones on the tower and reconstructing one of the windows. The photographs give some indication of what was involved. As much of the work was to do with the tower, extensive scaffolding was involved which was a sizeable proportion of thetotal cost.

Stained glass windows, especially on the south side of the Church, also bear the brunt of bad weather. They can also be subject to inadvertent stones being kicked up by strimmers which can cause holes. The process of re-leading and restoring one of the south windows in 2016 was an interesting procedure which we were able to photograph. The first stage was to remove the window, then it was taken to Chapel Studios to be cleaned and new lead put in replacing the old. Finally, it was brought back to the Church and placed back in the South Aisle wall near the Rood Screen.

Perhaps one of the most serious challenges in recent years happened in the 1990s when it became apparent that the exterior walls of the tower on the south side were no longer securely ‘tied in’ to the interior wall and were leaning outwards. At this stage we still came under English Heritage support because the saving actions were very expensive indeed. The solution lay in inserting huge blocks of clunch stone (hardened chalk) horizontally so that they could be used to bind the interior and exterior walls together. The operation took time and skill but was ultimately successful.

To make matters worse, the Church spike at the top of the tower needed serious attention also. The photograph shows only too clearly the state of the struts and why they too needed replacing.

In all cases though thanks to the craftsmanship of restorers, huge generosity and much deliberation and prayer, the Church still stands strong and sheltering for God, Kimpton and all people.

Kimpton Parish Church Restoration Trust CIO
Committee Structure & Contact Details