A recent review of "Fund Raising Needs" for St Wulstan's
January 2018 - Update to the fund raising appeal
The sum raised has now passed £50,000 which should cover the refurbishment of the organ, but we still need funds to cover the associated masonry and fabric repairs that were part of this project.
The organ refurbishment is due for completion by Friday 19th January and will be blessed by Archbishop Bernard Longley, at the start of Mass on Sunday 21st January. This is also the Feast Day of our patron, St Wulstan.
We still have to fund the masonry repairs that were undertaken inside the church, whilst the organ was dismantled. The next major project we wish to fund will be the restoration of the outside of the West Wall which is the main entrance to the church. This work will include the replacement of the decorative red columns next to the doorway and several stone blocks before the cleaning of the remaining stonework.
The sum raised has now passed £50,000 which should cover the refurbishment of the organ, but we still need funds to cover the associated masonry and fabric repairs that were part of this project.
The organ refurbishment is due for completion by Friday 19th January and will be blessed by Archbishop Bernard Longley, at the start of Mass on Sunday 21st January. This is also the Feast Day of our patron, St Wulstan.
We still have to fund the masonry repairs that were undertaken inside the church, whilst the organ was dismantled. The next major project we wish to fund will be the restoration of the outside of the West Wall which is the main entrance to the church. This work will include the replacement of the decorative red columns next to the doorway and several stone blocks before the cleaning of the remaining stonework.
An Appeal for funds for the refurbishment of the church Organ and outstanding repairs to the fabric of the building
St Wulstan's Church in Little Malvern was built in 1862, but the parish, closely linked with Little Malvern Court, has a continuous Catholic history since the Reformation. Sir Edward Elgar, his wife and daughter are buried in our churchyard. The church itself, designed by Benjamin Bucknall, was designated a Grade II listed building in 1987.
In 1996 we launched our first appeal for funds in order to undertake major refurbishment and restoration, including re-roofing the church. We are very grateful to English Heritage and other charities that gave us grants, and to individuals who contributed towards this work, which was completed in early 2004. Since then improvements have continued including the refurbishment of our “Parish Room”, complete with toilets and a small kitchen.
However some major repairs to the fabric are still outstanding, and the organ is in need of urgent attention. Thus we are again appealing for funds to refurbish the organ and to complete the essential repairs to the building. We are seeking at least £150,000 of which the organ work needs around £75,000 and the rest is for the masonry work.
The Church Organ
The organ was built in 1870 by Nicholson’s, the well known local organ builders, who have maintained it ever since it was installed. There is a strong Elgar /Nicholson connection. Elgar was the organist on the Nicholson organ at St George’s in Worcester, and he dedicated his “Serenade for Strings” to Arthur Winfield, the then marketing director of Nicholson’s. Elgar and his family came and worshipped at St Wulstan’s at the time he and his family lived close by in Craig Lea, in the days before he became famous, and he must have played the organ at St Wulstan’s, which is clearly part of the church’s heritage.
While not unique, old John Nicholson organs, like the one at St Wulstan’s, that have survived without major alteration are sufficiently rare to warrant preservation. Organs like ours are well regarded for their tonal qualities, and the flutes on our organ are particularly beautiful.
We are keen to undertake this refurbishment in the autumn of 2017.
A detailed description of the organ, and the repairs needed, in the Music Section.
Outstanding Fabric Repairs
There are two major tasks in particular for which we are appealing for support. The west end of the church, with its rose window over the entrance needs major attention (both on the inside and the outside), and the stonework around the door needs repairing and cleaning. The other major repair is to the stone work and the windows on the north side of the church. [The windows on the South side were repaired in 2015.]
On the outside, the west end of the church with the rose window has suffered from generations of fumes, dirt, etc. off the adjacent road and this may have caused more corrosion to this stonework than we have found elsewhere. The red stone columns either side of the doorway are severely pitted. Trials have shown that a low pressure spray technique will clean the yellow sandstone, without causing any erosion, but undertaking this treatment is not cheap.
Inside access to clean the window has been difficult, and while the organ is being refurbished we aim to take the opportunity to undertake stonework repairs to the inside of the window, and to clean it.
On the north side of the church all the windows need refurbishment similar to that we have carried out on the south side. The wrought iron bars in the windows are corroding, and, as they corrode, they expand and fracture the sandstone blocks of the windows. On the south side we have already replaced the bars with stainless steel to overcome this issue, and identical work is now needed on the north side. This is particularly important in the Lady Chapel to avoid damage to the Hardman Stained Glass windows.
In addition to the work on the windows, the whole of the north side wall needs re-pointing, together with replacing fractured sandstone blocks.
We do hope you will be able to support our Appeal. Should you have any queries please 'phone our Appeal Co-ordinator on 01684 563836. Donations can be sent to the Appeal Co-ordinator, and a Gift Aid Form is available on request.
Cheques should be payable to “St Wulstan’s Church, Little Malvern.”
J M Sweetman
Appeal Co-ordinator
Zourka, Cowleigh Park, Malvern WR13 5HJ
Dom Edward Crouzet OSB
Parish Priest
St Wulstan's Church in Little Malvern was built in 1862, but the parish, closely linked with Little Malvern Court, has a continuous Catholic history since the Reformation. Sir Edward Elgar, his wife and daughter are buried in our churchyard. The church itself, designed by Benjamin Bucknall, was designated a Grade II listed building in 1987.
In 1996 we launched our first appeal for funds in order to undertake major refurbishment and restoration, including re-roofing the church. We are very grateful to English Heritage and other charities that gave us grants, and to individuals who contributed towards this work, which was completed in early 2004. Since then improvements have continued including the refurbishment of our “Parish Room”, complete with toilets and a small kitchen.
However some major repairs to the fabric are still outstanding, and the organ is in need of urgent attention. Thus we are again appealing for funds to refurbish the organ and to complete the essential repairs to the building. We are seeking at least £150,000 of which the organ work needs around £75,000 and the rest is for the masonry work.
The Church Organ
The organ was built in 1870 by Nicholson’s, the well known local organ builders, who have maintained it ever since it was installed. There is a strong Elgar /Nicholson connection. Elgar was the organist on the Nicholson organ at St George’s in Worcester, and he dedicated his “Serenade for Strings” to Arthur Winfield, the then marketing director of Nicholson’s. Elgar and his family came and worshipped at St Wulstan’s at the time he and his family lived close by in Craig Lea, in the days before he became famous, and he must have played the organ at St Wulstan’s, which is clearly part of the church’s heritage.
While not unique, old John Nicholson organs, like the one at St Wulstan’s, that have survived without major alteration are sufficiently rare to warrant preservation. Organs like ours are well regarded for their tonal qualities, and the flutes on our organ are particularly beautiful.
We are keen to undertake this refurbishment in the autumn of 2017.
A detailed description of the organ, and the repairs needed, in the Music Section.
Outstanding Fabric Repairs
There are two major tasks in particular for which we are appealing for support. The west end of the church, with its rose window over the entrance needs major attention (both on the inside and the outside), and the stonework around the door needs repairing and cleaning. The other major repair is to the stone work and the windows on the north side of the church. [The windows on the South side were repaired in 2015.]
On the outside, the west end of the church with the rose window has suffered from generations of fumes, dirt, etc. off the adjacent road and this may have caused more corrosion to this stonework than we have found elsewhere. The red stone columns either side of the doorway are severely pitted. Trials have shown that a low pressure spray technique will clean the yellow sandstone, without causing any erosion, but undertaking this treatment is not cheap.
Inside access to clean the window has been difficult, and while the organ is being refurbished we aim to take the opportunity to undertake stonework repairs to the inside of the window, and to clean it.
On the north side of the church all the windows need refurbishment similar to that we have carried out on the south side. The wrought iron bars in the windows are corroding, and, as they corrode, they expand and fracture the sandstone blocks of the windows. On the south side we have already replaced the bars with stainless steel to overcome this issue, and identical work is now needed on the north side. This is particularly important in the Lady Chapel to avoid damage to the Hardman Stained Glass windows.
In addition to the work on the windows, the whole of the north side wall needs re-pointing, together with replacing fractured sandstone blocks.
We do hope you will be able to support our Appeal. Should you have any queries please 'phone our Appeal Co-ordinator on 01684 563836. Donations can be sent to the Appeal Co-ordinator, and a Gift Aid Form is available on request.
Cheques should be payable to “St Wulstan’s Church, Little Malvern.”
J M Sweetman
Appeal Co-ordinator
Zourka, Cowleigh Park, Malvern WR13 5HJ
Dom Edward Crouzet OSB
Parish Priest
