The National Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded £1.4m to a 13th century church with a unique timber-framed, truncated spire.
St Dubricius Church in Porlock is a Grade I listed church and its famous spire is clad in oak shingles. However, it has been nearly a century since the shingles were replaced, meaning that the 13th century timbers are at increased risk of water damage.
Already the church needs to deal with rotting wooden beams and damaged bell shutters. The lottery grant has been awarded to help fund the £1.7 million project “Porlock InSpired”, a plan to repair the building and, over three years, to host a range of events for the local community.
As well as installing new oak shingles, the plan is to repair the internal timber structure and to re-slate parts of the church roof. As well as preserving the old, modernisation efforts will also be made, with a new heating system set to be installed along with solar panels.
As part of the project, young people, including students from the local St Dubricius School, will be given opportunities to join creative and historical projects.
Rev Ann Gibbs, Rector of St Dubricius Church said, “There are many theories about why the spire has its unusual shape - some more fanciful than others. The most likely explanation is that it was damaged during the Great Storm of 1703 and capped rather than rebuilt.
“Other ideas range from angry giants and distracted builders to fairies or a simple lack of funds. Whatever the truth, this spire is extraordinarily rare and deeply tied to Porlock’s identity. We must ensure it survives for the next hundred years and beyond.”
Rev Gibbs stressed the importance of such projects for rural communities and thanked all who had contributed to Porlock InSpired: “This project simply wouldn’t have been possible without the community or National Lottery players.”
While it is hoped that the repair work will be completed at some point next year, the broader community activities as part of Porlock InSpired are set to last for three years.
