The 2018 quinquennial inspection identified numerous areas of the church building that needed urgent intervention. The current estimate for the repair work totals some £280,000 including VAT. In such circumstances the work has been divided into a series of phases and work packages so that we are able to secure funding over a longer period whilst starting the most urgent work now.

We are delighted to say that thanks to the generous support of OHCT and their donation of £8000 in February 2021, we were able to award a contract and complete some of the most pressing work during this past summer of 2022 at a total cost of some £36,000.The Friends of the church was founded over 30 years ago with the aim of providing financial support to maintain the external fabric of the church so that it remains a spiritual and cultural asset at the centre of the village for future generations. More recent fundraising activities have included open gardens, an organ recital on our Henry Father Willis organ, a folk concert, and a favour auction at the time of the Queens Platinum Jubilee. We are also keen “Riders + Striders” and have raised over £5000 in the past three years.

HISTORY
St Laurence Church (Grade II* listed) occupies a central position in the village. The church building is in parts early 13th century (Chancel-early English), altered in 14th and 15th centuries in perpendicular style The font is the oldest feature of the church and dates from c1200 and was probably retained from an earlier church in the parish. The tower was rebuilt in 1666 a year celebrated by Dryden as the first Annus Mirabilis in which the English defeated the plague and the fire of London. The bells were rehung in 1675 and two of these remain. The Gothic Revival architects, G F Bodley and Thomas Garner restored the chancel in 1881, major restoration of the interior was undertaken in 1912-14.