Worcester’s Georgian churches
This article describes a tour by the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) in 2016.
[Image: St Swithun’s Church, Worcester. Copyright Carla Pianese.]
A small group was led on a fascinating tour of three of Worcester’s Georgian churches by former principal conservation officer, now heritage consultant and chairman of Friends of St Swithun’s, Will Scott. The conservation needs of these churches are being addressed through three very different approaches.
St Swithun’s Church, completed in 1736 and Grade I listed, is located in the heart of the city centre. The adjacent commercial activity that paid for the original building in the 18th century contributed to it falling out of use as communities moved away from the urban core in the 20th century. In 1977 it passed into the care of the Churches Conservation Trust (CCT).
In 2006 Friends of St Swithun’s (FOSS) was formed. It has partnered with the CCT to carry out work on the clock, bell ropes, organ restoration and kitchenette. A series of organ recitals on the 1795/1844 Gray Nicholson organ and reconstructed ‘Wetheringsett’ Tudor organ are held during the summer months. The church has recently instituted an open-door policy, despite the challenges in an urban environment. Following a successful stage one Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) bid, FOSS is now embarking on a development project with the CCT’s regeneration team to ‘take a fresh look at St Swithuns’, with plans to create a performance space and hold more community activities.
Old St Martin in the Cornmarket, built in 1772, is still in use for worship by an Anglican Catholic congregation. Despite the challenges of a long interregnum without a priest, the congregation has kept up to date with repairs identified by the inspecting architect, Jane Chamberlain, who showed us around with the church warden, Malcolm Wright. This small faith community has a high level of commitment to its historic building.
Due to limited funds it has decided to phase works through a programme of smaller projects. Recent work has included some reordering to improve level access, and there are plans for a community garden and repairs to the parish hall.
The former parish church of St Nicholas, The Cross, was built in 1735 on Foregate Street. When the diocese decided to close this church for worship in the 1980s, rather than dispose of the impressive Grade II* building, it leased it to a brewery, which is responsible for its repair. This imaginative solution has required the tenants to make adaptations to elements such as the balcony balustrade and pulpit reversible.
St Swithun’s and Old St Martin’s are both examples of communities that know and care about their buildings, mobilising to find sustainable futures for them, a sign of people power in action. In contrast, St Nicholas’ depends on a commercial venture, but gives the opportunity to members of the community to enjoy a landmark building both as a contribution to the streetscape and as a striking venue to dine in.
Angie Creswick.
--Institute of Historic Building Conservation
Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Britain's Lost Churches.
- Chapels of England: buildings of protestant nonconformity.
- Conservation.
- Dudley townscape heritage initiative.
- FWB and Mary Charles Chartered Architects.
- Georgian.
- Georgian Group Journal.
- Hardy Plants and Plantings for Repton and Late Georgian Gardens (1780-1820).
- IHBC articles.
- Institute of Historic Building Conservation.
- Malvern station, priory and other buildings.
- Pulpit.
- Tecton structures at Dudley Zoo.
- The King’s School, Worcester.
- Worcester timber buildings and the Commandery.
- Worcester sculptor William Forsyth.
IHBC NewsBlog
Stirling Prize-winning Salford building to be demolished
The Centenary Building will be bulldozed as part of the wider £2.5bn Crescent regeneration project
Volunteers work to transform 100-year-old ‘hidden’ building into bothy
The building, named Druimnashallag, is located southeast of Oban.
The new ‘Arches for HERs’ Demo site, from the Getty Conservation Institute via HE
It shows how organisations responsible for historic environment records (HER) management can benefit from its powerful features.
ICOMOS-CIF 2024 Symposium celebrates 40th anniversary in Venice
It aims to critically review current practices and theories of conservation of built heritage around the world, and more.
HES establishes new national centre for retrofit of traditional buildings
HES plans to develop the centre follows £1m of funding from UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council.
High Court rejects oral appeal against tower block decision in historic Bloomsbury
The request was for a full Judicial Review hearing against Camden Council’s approval of a 74m-high tower block in Bloomsbury.
Mayor of London and Government announce bold plans to transform Oxford Street
Plans include turning the road into a traffic-free pedestrianised avenue, creating a beautiful public space.
Crystal Palace Subway, for 160th anniversary
The remarkable Grade II* listed Crystal Palace Subway in South London begins a new era following major restoration.
National Trust brings nature back to an area twice the size of Manchester in less than a decade
The National Trust has achieved its aim of creating or restoring 25,000 hectares of priority habitat on its land by 2025.
18th-century hospital in York to become sustainable homes
A former mental health establishment founded by a Quaker in 1792 is to be converted into 120 energy-efficient homes in York.
Comments
[edit] To make a comment about this article, or to suggest changes, click 'Add a comment' above. Separate your comments from any existing comments by inserting a horizontal line.