Historic Buildings

Preserving Pugin’s Church: St Mary’s, Wymeswold Roof Repairs and Community Heritage Stories

Our vision is to preserve the fabric of the church of St Mary’s Wymeswold, to increase its use as a community facility and to make more widely accessible the history of this Grade-I listed building. Urgent repairs will secure the nave roof and prevent deterioration, weather ingress and interior damage to the church. Trained volunteer welcomers will extend opening hours of the church and share its story with visitors, emphasising its association with Pugin and the unique survival of its Victorian interior. A new community history told though a collective biography, making connections to different faith communities of the local area, will emphasise toleration and co-existence over time and broaden support for the church, essential to future sustainability. Training opportunities will upskill participants in co-creation, digital, research, storytelling, and welcoming skills. Targeted community engagement and partnership working aims to remove barriers to access, address social isolation and improve wellbeing.