Work to repair the Tudor tower of All Saints’ church is continuing apace thanks to a grant of nearly £500,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The tower has been shrouded in scaffolding for weeks as stonemasons carry out essential work to strengthen the 97ft-high tower and replace loose and weathered stonework.
At the same time, a new toilet and kitchenette is being added to the church – a much-needed addition that will enable the ancient building to be used for many more community events.
Brightlingsea Info editor David Bridle joined the first tour of the tower this week to see how work is progressing. If all goes well, the restoration will be finished by the summer – and from what we’ve seen, it will be a job very well done.
• A crowdfunding drive by the Friends of All Saints’ closes at the end of February. The Saints Alive project is being matchfunded by insurance company Aviva and as we write is just under £2,000 short of its £9,500 target.
Funding will cover bike racks, equipment, resources and training courses for volunteers – aiming to encourage cycling, promote health and well-being, and conserve the churchyard. You can find the fundraising page here – https://www.avivacommunityfund.co.uk/saints-outdoor.
