High Toynton Renewed

High Toynton Renewed: The Project Begins.

Rebuilding update - May 2024

After the rubble clearance that took place in the summer of 2023 and the analysis of the rubble, it’s now believed that the collapse was mainly due to the use of poor materials by the Victorian builders.

The rebuilding of the south west corner, together with plans for refurbishing the interior is now being organised. Plans have been drawn up and applications submitted to planning committees and the Diocese. Tenders are now coming in for renovations to start this summer.

Meanwhile, preparations are under way for the Village Social History Hub, that will include recording of oral history. Lincolnshire does not possess much recorded oral history so this might prove a fascinating journey. There are also plans afoot to commission a piece of music on the theme of “Collapse and Renewal”. Imagine visitors being able to look around a church that is flooded with music!

What work are we doing?

Conservation

Conservation work will be carried out to repair the south west corner of the church, rebuild the corner and doorway, repair the roof and strengthen the corner foundation to prevent future subsidence. We aim to re-use as much material from the old tower as possible.

Eco-improvements

We will create a haven for diverse flora and fauna, offsetting energy use in the church.

Community

There will be an arts programme with music, food, dance, murals, novels and creating writing with yoga. We will establish a heritage hub in the church around the theme of High Toynton as one of only a few Doubly Thankful villages in England - meaning that all of our residents who found in WWI and WWII returned home.

Future Sustainability

Villagers have been asked what they would like to see happening in their church in future. This resulted in ideas such as

• Children’s playgroups

• Baby and toddler groups

• Craft making workshops

• Audiovisual unit promoting our social history and wild flower churchyards

• Village functions (quizzes, concerts, exhibits and film nights)

There are many things to be taken into account in order to make this work but on the whole, High Toynton church is on its way towards being a wonderful community space once more, as well as a modern, inclusive place of workship.

We aim to re-open in early 2025

On re-opening we will be holding a series of activities and events to celebrate our community and church, and giving thanks to all those who helped support us.

Rebuilding update - June 2023

If you haven't seen things happening in the momentous pile of rubble that was our Church Tower yet.....you soon will.

Rubble clearance is due to begin in July. Although this sounds a simple operation, it involves many different professionals. There is some concern that the pile may be holding up part of the south wall and thus scaffolding needs to constantly checked with input from Structural Engineers. Archaeologist and Conservationist experience is also needed, along with Stonemasons to determine which stones from the pile need to be saved and what needs to go. Once the space is clear, the geo-boreholes can be made to find out. Part of the brief for this stage is to find out why the church fell down. Once the space is clear, the geo-boreholes can be drilled to find out what is going on far below the surface. The tower was erected by the Victorians in 1872 but had to be braced by the end of the century and by the end of the next century it had been underpinned twice.

Based on what the professionals find out, we will then take the autumn and winter to plan the repairs to the corner so that reconstruction work can take place next Spring and Summer.

Rebuilding update - February 2021

Grant aid

A grant has been applied for to fund professional fees that will be incurred with the first stage which is that of planning - investigating the reasons for the collapse and a feasibility study to set out the guidelines that will take us through to the future stages. We have two tenders that have been put in the application.

Chancel

Work on the chancel is now just about complete. Re-plastering and lime washing, together with a screen dividing the chancel from the nave, have been funded by the church authorities and will give us a space to hold (fairly small) meetings and services, Covid depending. The importance of this is that it gives us a stronger position when we apply the major grant aid. Electricians have now installed a motherboard and LED lighting in the chancel.

The chancel is now ready to be given some TLC and made beautiful. Tiles can be scrubbed, windows cleaned and everything dusted and polished. The architect and stonemason have suggested we might like to paint the wooden dividing screen with suitable artwork. Toni Cunningham has undertaken to do this with a frieze of the nave, complete with stained glass windows. Please let us know if you would like to help. Phone Ali on 07778 592783.