A week of celebrations at Christ Church, Bradford on Avon
October saw a week of celebrations at Christ Church, Bradford on Avon as over 400 Christ Church Primary School children took part in ‘Experience Church’, and the community celebrated the restoration of their landmark spire clock.
Experience Church
Class by class over 400 children came into Christ Church to take part in the special sessions to explore the meaning of ‘The Church’. After an introduction, each class rotated through five stations around the church, each led by volunteers, before coming together for a final session. Children were encouraged to delve more deeply and spiritually into the why's and how's of The Church: Welcomes, Prays, Teaches, Serves, Celebrates and Shares. Participation was enthusiastic and wide – with children asking questions, reflecting and taking part in a range of activities. The displays produced from the activities at each station were just beautiful as was the whole school service at the end of the week where everyone sang and celebrated together. This is the special altar cloth made by the children, the birds and flowers, and the stained-glass window tea light holders created by each child that lit the Church for our service!
Experience Church happily coincided with the raising and restarting of our landmark spire clock, with children from Christ Church Primary School cheering and clapping as the newly restored and gleaming gold dials were raised up to the top of the tower.
A special moment in time, as a local landmark is restored.
Originally installed in 1863, at a cost of £175, the clock had become a rusting shadow of its former self and had not been working for many years.
It could be said that time has really taken its toll. The damage to the clock is not just limited to a broken mechanism and motor, but the dials of the clock were also extremely weathered as they have taken a battering from the elements over the years.
Fabulous grants from National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Bradford on Avon Preservation Trust were supplemented by generous and often spontaneous donations from the community – showing just how much this landmark means to local people.
Regilding, restoration, raising and restarting our spire clock.
In acknowledgement of their key role in delivering the Discover Christ Church! project, a group of 8 volunteers were invited to visit Smith of Derby clockmakers where they were privileged to gild a large part of our west facing spire clock dial. The group learned about clock making and apprenticeship opportunities, as well as applying 23.5kt gold leaf to the numerals on the dial.
About 200 people of all ages came to watch and celebrate as the newly restored and now gleaming dials were raised up the tower and fixed to the spire. Clock decorated cakes and stories were shared and at 12 noon on Thursday 12 October 2023, our clock restarted – once again telling the time to the wider community.
Even on a dull day the gleaming 23.5kt gold of the numerals, hands and dial shine out as a beacon – an outward sign of the community involvement and activities taking place within.
The press coverage was amazing, with Becky Strike, Discover Christ Church’s Community Outreach Officer explaining all about the clock, the programme of community activities and giving a tour of the church building and its features across 3 of Ben Prater’s BBC Wiltshire morning shows! Articles appeared in the Wiltshire Times https://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/23828582.bradford-avon-church-clock-restored-former-glory/ https://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/23848928.christ-church-clock-bradford-avon-finally-restored/ and the project was the main headline on the BBC News Wiltshire section for an entire weekend! https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-67090195
Looking forward
Facilitated by our Discover Christ Church! National Lottery Heritage Fund Community Outreach Officer Becky, a range of events are planned going forward – including BoA Youth ‘Meet the Steeplejack’ and ‘Meet the Stonemasons’ sessions, a talk on clock restoration by Smith of Derby, and a Christmas Card and Carols inspired by the heritage of Christ Church being held jointly with Dementia Action Alliance and Christ Church Primary School.
The Future for Christ Church
All of the above is taking place despite our lack toilets or a kitchen in this glorious grade 2* listed church and the wall to wall pews, but these factors really do limit our potential to serve the needs of our community both in terms of forms of worship and the range of uses we can accommodate. We are about 84% funded for our two projects with £99k to raise to be able to provide these essential amenities, so if you would like to lend a hand in helping us realise our potential to become a community hub fit for C21st you can find out how to contact us or to donate via our website here .
Background information
The restoration of Christ Church’s landmark spire clock is a key element of the two-year National Lottery Heritage Funded Discover Christ Church! project that is delivering an inclusive and intergenerational programme of heritage inspire community outreach, activities, workshops and celebrations running alongside a programme of conservation, repairs and improvements to this fine grade 2* listed building, including:
Conservation and repairs to the woodwork, wiring and stonework of the tower and spire, as well as to the main West Door.
Restoration and restarting of the spire clock.
A new energy efficient and adjustable lighting system, and
Conservation and cleaning of the nave walls, fine wall paintings and stonework.
Grants have also been awarded by the Bradford on Avon Preservation Trust and the Pilgrim Trust and ChurchCare, along with generous donations from members of the local community.
Christ Church Bradford on Avon is a Grade 2* listed building in recognition of its fine, ‘opulent’ and ‘crisp’ woodwork, stonework and wall paintings, its exceptionally rich, high quality and complete set of late Victorian fittings, and the unusual survival of a relatively unknown near complete scheme of stencilled and freehand nave wall paintings (Burlison and Grylls, directed by John Oldrid Scott (son of Sir George Gilbert Scott of St Pancras fame.
Grants towards the provision of toilets, a kitchen, flexible community spaces, an office and storage have so far been generously awarded by:
Wiltshire Historic Churches Trust
Garfield Weston Foundation
Bradford on Avon Town Council
Benefact Churches Trust
Medlock Charitable Trust
+ Community donations
Further information
Any questions or for further information please email admin@discoverchristchurch.org.uk
