The Appeal

The real glory of the building lies in the amazing interior decoration which is a remarkable legacy of the Victorian skill of embellishment. There can be few buildings of that era which are so completely and effusively decorated, such that the visitor can only marvel at the superb quality and quantity of it all. The pulpit is carved from alabaster in such detail that whole pamphlets have been written about it alone. The reredos (behind the altar) displays in breathtaking detail the story of the Last Supper. The font is another most ornate and beautiful example of the artistry of Thomas Earp, who had worked with many of the great architects of his day. These items were of such quality and class that they were exhibited at the Great International Exhibition of 1862, where they drew much admiration.

The stonework inside the church, including the massive ornate pillars, is finished in a most interesting and almost unique contrast of locally-mined red sandstone and the more usual Cotswold honey-coloured stone. To find all these examples of the Victorian craftsman in the one place is truly remarkable, but is made even more so by the decoration of the church itself. Much of the stonework is not only carved but also painted and elaborately painted motifs feature throughout the church. All around the tops of the walls, underneath the beamed ceilings, and over every arch and window there is the most ornate and elaborate painting of Biblical texts. These have without doubt been the start of interest in reading for many a youngster and prompted a wider Bible study in the older members of the congregation (and possibly whiled away the time during some of the long sermons of yesteryear!).

Whilst clearly the church is primarily a place of worship, we believe it has an equally important place within the wider community, as a superb building commemorating the energies of our forefathers and eminently worthy of preservation for the future generations. Over the years there have been many roof leaks which have allowed rain to damage the decorations in the church, and it is evident that the problem must now be addressed in its entirety if the building is to be preserved in all its beauty for posterity. The first area to be tackled will be to refurbish all the roof. This will almost certainly call for not only new stone slates, but also a considerable amount of new timber. Once the building itself has been made weatherproof a certain amount of the beautiful stonework will need to be replaced or repaired, so that finally we can renovate the decor. This work is expected to take several years, but the re-roofing work must start very shortly. The overall costs of all the work will be £160,000 at today's prices. Before we can start we must be assured of having most of the costs of the work in hand, or at least firmly promised.

How can you help? As we expect you have already worked out, we need your money or your pledge of financial support. You can send us your cheque to the Churchwarden who is in charge of this appeal, Jim Rollinson, 28 Byfords Close, Huntley, Glos GL19 3SA. We can also process your donation by way of your credit card. Alternatively we can send you forms to enable you to pay by way of a Deed of Covenant, thereby enabling you to spread the cost of your generosity over several years in a tax-efficient manner. In addition we have a whole series of ideas and schemes which we hope will help to make your donation as easy as possible. For example, we intend to arrange for donors to 'sponsor' the refurbishing of either a letter, a word, or a complete text on the walls. Further details of this plan or others will be willingly supplied on request. A register of Friends of Huntley Church will be drawn up and all individuals and organisations will be recorded therein for posterity, to show what a broadly based operation has been involved in the task.

We would love to know that you have visited our site and we would appreciate your messages of support, as well as your donation. Please come and sign our visitors book. If your comment requires an answer please leave an address, electronic or physical, so that we can reply.