Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Friends of Friendless Churches

@friendlesschurches.bsky.social

4.1K followers 190 following 1.2K posts

We are the Friends of Friendless Churches — we rescue, repair & protect historic ‘closed’ places of worship in England & Wales.

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · May 2

An update from our Director, Rachel Morley, about the upcoming repair projects.

As we look forward to completing repairs at Gumfreston, Llangua, Llanddoged, and Bodwrog, we’re also excited to announce six new repair projects for the 2025–26 financial year.

1 17 77

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 1d

In this video, heritage plasterer Louis Cartwright explains the different options of finish for the interior walls of St Mary’s, Kenderchurch, Herefordshire.

3 30

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 1d

😅

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 1d

Thank you as always. Yes, we are delighted to be able to provide employment to talent craftsmen and contractors. It is truly one of the joys of our work!

1 5

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 2d

To read more about the repair project at St Andrew’s, South Runcton, please follow the link below to an article on our website: friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk/news/roof-wo...

Roof work, high-level mortar repairs and jackdaws at St Andrew's, South Runcton

Read about our continued roof work, high-level mortar repairs, and jackdaws at St Andrew's church, South Runcton in Norfolk.

friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk

1 2 9

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 2d

The apsidal north vestry is being re-roofed. Many of the vestry’s corbels had disintegrated as they were made from rendered bricks. Accordingly, our conservators, Theo and Emma of the Skillington Workshop, have skilfully remade them.

6/7
📷 North vestry roof

1 9

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 2d

The apsidal chancel roof has been re-slated and sections of the new rainwater goods have been installed. Locally manufactured, these rainwater goods are made from stainless steel and painted dark green.

5/7
📷 Newly re-slated chancel roof with new rainwater goods

1 5

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 2d

Rob Sandford and his team from Greystone & Mason have been hard at work and the project is on course to be completed by the end of autumn 2025.

4/7
📷 St Andrew's during repairs

1 4

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 2d

Private ownership would have been a tragedy as St Andrew’s is one of the finest Victorian churches in the county. The present structure was built in 1839 by John Brown, a Norwich based architect, from the ruins of a medieval Romanesque church.

3/7
📷 Interior before repairs

2 4

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 2d

We adopted St Andrew’s in the spring of 2023 and repairs to this Neo-Norman church began in late 2024. If we hadn't step in and offered an alternative future, then St Andrew's would have been sold for private, domestic conversion.

2/7
📷 St Andrew's during repairs

1 5

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 2d

Despite thundery downpours and days of hot sun, repairs have continued at St Andrew’s, South Runcton, Norfolk.

1/7
📷 An autumnal St Andrew's, South Runcton before repairs began

1 3 28

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 4d

Our pleasure, glad you enjoyed seeing some of the best glass inside our churches!

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 5d

In 1876, Heaton, Butler and Bayne decorated the chancel at St John the Baptist’s, Allington. The east window displays characteristic elements of their work — namely, the vibrant colours derived from Heaton’s research into medieval techniques, and Bayne's striking linear designs.

3 17

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 5d

Finally, another notable firm was Heaton, Butler and Bayne. Heaton and Butler began by producing designs for Clayton & Bell, and were later joined by Bayne, a pupil of Clayton.

📷 Heaton, Butler and Bayne - East window at Castlemartin, Pembrokeshire

1 12

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 5d

Another prolific stained glass firm was Powell & Sons. As they produced windows by many different artists, there is a degree of variety in their glass. However, as illustrated by the east window at St Cynhaearn’s, a Pre-Raphaelite artistic flair is present in much of their work.

1 5

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 5d

Also at St Cadoc’s is a later window from the Kempe studio (c.1918), which is perhaps more characteristic of the studio's wider oeuvre. With deep blue and green hues and exceedingly delicate draftsmanship, it clearly shows the strong influence of 15th-century glass.

1 7

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 5d

The four glimmering saints in the window of the Rolls Chapel at St Cadoc’s were designed by John Carter, the chief designer at Kempe’s studio. This window illustrates two artistic hallmarks of Kempe glass: the use of rich ruby red and pristine silver staining.

1 7

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 5d

At St Cadoc’s, Llangattock-Vibon-Avel in Monmouthshire, there are three brilliant windows by the Kempe studio. By the late 19th century, Kempe employed over 50 people in his studio and had completed more than 3,000 commissions.

📷 West window at St Cadoc's - Choir of Angels

1 8

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 5d

As the 19th century progressed, stained glass studios emerged to meet the growing demand. Among the most notable were Clayton & Bell and Kempe.

📷 East window by Kempe at St Philip's, Caerdeon, Gwynedd

1 7

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 5d

At Castlemartin in Pembrokeshire is a small yet stunning window that depicts the Crucifixion. This window was produced by Hardman to a design by Pugin, the leading exponent of the Gothic Revival in the first half of the 19th century.

1 7

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 5d

It is thought that more than 80,000 stained glass windows were produced during the Victorian period.

Throughout our churches, you can find excellent examples of Victorian stained glass by some of the most noteworthy designers and makers of the 19th century.

📷 Lavers & Barraud - Llangattock

1 5 29

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 6d

Gosh, that’s a really stunning example of this process of medieval recycling! Thanks for sharing!

1 4

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 6d

But in Skeffling, the fabric of Birstall Priory lives on. With its stones repurposed in the walls of a rural parish church, the remains of this lost monastic site do, at least, endure — even if they are hidden in plain sight.

7/7

1 1 32

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 6d

Sadly, nothing remains of Birstall Priory today. Whatever ruins did survive were consumed by the ever-encroaching tide in the 20th century.

6/7

1 21

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 6d

When St Helen’s was built in the mid-15th century, it is thought that some of the building material from the decaying monastic site was reused.

5/7

1 18

Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 6d

It seems that the priory then entered a period of significant decline, or perhaps ceased to function altogether, from the late 14th century onwards.

4/7

1 17