Critical roof repairs at the historic St Mary’s Church in East Brent have been completed this month.
The final phases of work to repair the roof of St Mary’s Church East Brent have been made possible after new grants from the National Churches Trust and the Wolfson Foundation.
Such were the problems with the roof at St Mary’s Church – as reported here – that it was added to the UK’s ‘Heritage at Risk’ register.
Having repaired the roof to the north aisle in 2021, it is expected that the remainder of the necessary roof repairs will be finally completed by the summer of this year and the Church can then be declared no longer ‘at risk’. The interior will now need completely redecorating once it has dried out.
The main structure of this significant grade 1 listed building dates back to the 15th century, and the church in this locality has been at the heart of the community for over 800 years.
Revd Kevin Wright, the Rector of the Parish of Three Saints, which includes St Mary’s, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “Buildings like this are an asset to the villages they serve but require ongoing maintenance to keep them weatherproof and open for future generations.”
“This work at St Mary’s East Brent will help develop a long-term vision for the church that will ensure the church can serve the community seven days a week.”
“This is the start of an exciting journey to secure the future of this historic church and to equip it for the 21st century.”
As a heritage site, it is particularly famous for its tall spire, visible for miles, and the beautiful 17th century nave ceiling, medieval bench-ends, stained glass, and many other interesting historic features.
Today it is not only used for worship and life event services, such as baptisms, weddings and funerals, but also as meeting place for the local school, a space for community group meetings and as a concert venue.
