Many people may not even be aware that the church has been locked to access, but with restoration of the organ now complete, Sally Moralee (Church Warden) would like to announce that the doors are now open again, and anyone wishing to visit the St.Martin’s during the day, is now able to do so.
Although modern congregations are small, St. Martin’s remains the most important building in the village and as a living museum of the lives of the generations that have preceded us. Baptisms, weddings and funerals remain very popular within the community and it is no surprise that the village comes together regularly to support fundraising for the continual maintenance of the building and graveyard.
It is incumbent on each generation to both look after and if necessary, improve the church and its facilities for our descendants. In recent memory, the church had to be largely re-roofed after thieves targeted the lead on the roof and did considerable damage to the fabric of the building while removing it. Negotiations with English Heritage and the National Lottery Fund took several years but, combined with an extraordinary fundraising effort from the village, St.Martin’s now has a new stainless steel roof. As part of the National Lottery funding, there is also a comprehensive and informative website that details the history of St.Martin’s and the heritage of the village as a whole. The website; www.northperrottchurch.co.uk is well worth a look for anyone who has an interest in the history of the village.
There have been two other major projects running concurrently. The organ (which must be over 40 years old?) required complete refurbishment, and in an effort to make the church a more functional venue for fundraising events, it is hoped that a loo will shortly be constructed in the churchyard.
The reason for church being locked recently, was for the security of the organ while it has been disassembled. Now it has been rebuilt, it is hoped in the near future, to celebrate the occasion of refurbishment with an organ recital by Jonathan Delbridge.
St.Martins is generally managed and maintained by a small group of Villagers, who form the Parochial Church Council, headed by Sally Moralee as the Church Warden. They are assisted by a hardworking group of volunteers who help with flower arranging, cleaning, ground maintenance and fundraising. Many of these volunteers are not regular church goers, they are just caring people who want to play a small part in the regular upkeep of such an important and historic building. If you wish to give a little time or just learn more about the history of North Perrott, please contact Sally Moralee or just take a moment to walk around the church, now that it is open again.