Projects > St John the Apostle Church, Sheepscombe
Repair of the two south facing elevations of the Cotswold Stone roof and replacement of window supports on north and west side
Posted: 9th October 2010
Funding: £13,500
Scheme Type: Normal Grants
Project Type: Heritage Buildings & Places of Worship
Area: Stroud District Council
St. John the Apostle Church, Church Hill, Sheepscombe, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL6 7RH
The Reverend Hugh Stowell, in his book The Peaceful Valley, published in 1825, claimed that in the early days of the 19th Century, Sheepscombe was a wild and lawless place.
Some 700 people lived there in poverty and ignorance with scant regard for each other's welfare, with many of the inhabitants working in Wights Mill.
The Church of St John the Apostle dates from 1820 and was part of the armoury to 'straighten out' this 'wild and lawless place'.
Today's Sheepscombe has the hallmarks of an affluent society and the church has an air of being actively supported and cared for by its custodians.
Two years ago the church received a grant of £5,000 from The Gloucestershire Environemnatl Trust towards a project which comprised provision of mains water/sewerage, construction of a toilet and the provision of a servery within the church.
The main element of this project is the re-roofing of the two south facing roofs using salvaged stone slates and new stone slates where required. Other work includes the replacement of the supports to the windows on the north and west elevations, repairs to various parts of the stonework, low wattage light bulbs in the nave and decoration of the interior of the church.
