Restoring the Roof
All Saints is Loughborough's Parish Church, it is a large Major Church, one of 300 in England. These larger parish churches represent some of the most special, significant and well-loved places of worship in the country. The building is steeped in history and a church has stood on this site since Saxon times. The bulk of the current church was built round about 1330, with the western tower and nave clerestory windows added between 1450 and 1500. Between 1859 and 1862 there was a massive renovation programme which involved a complete restoration of the medieval building. This work included replacing the south roof over the Burton Chapel, which is now sadly in poor repair, putting this historic building and the church activities held here at risk. Like those before us, we acknowledge our responsibility to preserve this significant building for future generations.
The Present Challenge
A roof does not last forever, not even a lead roof. The south roof was last replaced in 1862, but it has now become ineffective against storms and heavy rainfall, with water coming through in bucketfuls.
In 2021, our architects advised us to replace the whole south roof along with some of the wooden beams. This is a major job which will require scaffolding and a temporary roof.
In 2020, temporary repairs were made to the roof, on the advice of our architects. However, these were only expected to last four to five years, and right on cue, we find that the roof is leaking again and bowls and towels are not a long-term solution!
The Burton Chapel
The south roof sits over the Burton Chapel which celebrates Thomas Burton, who in 1495 was instrumental in establishing the grammar school, now part of Loughborough Schools Foundation, formerly Loughborough Endowed Schools. Burton has been described as one of the town’s greatest benefactors. The school for the first 100 years met within the church, later moving to a building in the churchyard. The chapel stands as an important reminder of the historic links between the church and schools.
The Burton Chapel is now home to our children’s church on Sunday mornings. We are a growing congregation, and repairs to the south roof are essential for us to continue to run our children’s activities. Roof repairs are also critical to sustaining our high standard of music, as the choir vestry and a set of organ pipes are beneath the south roof. Both families and music are at the very heart of our church community and are currently at risk due to the leaking south roof.
Our Commitment to being an Eco-Church
In the future, we would like to add solar panels to the south roof. These would not be visible from ground level and will not affect the appearance of the church. An energy survey has confirmed that this would be both financially and environmentally beneficial, and that solar panels would generate a third more electricity than we use at present. Further consideration will be given to this once the roof has been replaced.
Progress in 2024
Major work on a Grade I listed building requires a bat survey, which revealed that bats were living in the roof space. This means that work on the roof will have to be limited to the winter months only. In addition, a full survey of the church building has been carried out. This will provide a digital model of the whole church for the architects’ detailed plans.
How You Can Help
To replace the roof we need to raise £304,000. The first stage was to prove that the congregation and community of All Saints, Loughborough love their church building. With the support and hard work of local people the good news is that we have raised £162,000.
Now we are looking to new supporters and external donors, alongside the large charitable trusts that fund heritage projects, to raise the final £142,000.
A gift could be made in any of the following ways:
· Bank transfer to the church account, using the reference ROOF. Account name: Loughborough Parish Church, Sort Code: 40-30-24, Account Number: 41857754
· By using the card machine by the south door, which is set up to receive donations for the Restoring the Roof Project.
· Cheque made out to Loughborough Parish Church, please place in an envelope marked ‘Treasurer Roof’ and give to the church wardens, you could send cheques by post to: The Treasurer at The Parish Church, Fearon Hall, Rectory Road, Loughborough LE11 1PL.
· By using this link: South Roof Fund - Give A Little
All donations are gratefully received as we work together to restore the south roof and ensure that this historic building is preserved for future generations.