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Friends of Friendless Churches

@friendlesschurches.bsky.social

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

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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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 3d

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

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 3d

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.

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 3d

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

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 3d

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.

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 3d

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

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 3d

As a daughter house of Aumale Abbey in Normandy, Birstall was considered an ‘alien priory’ and was therefore confiscated during the wars with France in the later medieval period. In 1396, the lands and monastic site were sold to Kirkstall Abbey.

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 3d

It is thought that some of these cobblestones may have originally formed part of the fabric of the now long-lost Birstall Priory — a nearby Benedictine monastery.

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 3d

At first glance, the exterior of St Helen’s, Skeffling is rustic and rather unassuming. However, the rounded glacial cobblestones from which the church is built aren’t just any local pebbles.

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

We are so grateful to everyone who is making this project possible. Further updates will be shared as the project progresses.

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

Areas of blown and severely decayed stone will be replaced with new stone that has been selected to provide the best possible match to the original material. The replacement stone will take a month or so to arrive from the quarry.

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

Each sound stone will be numbered so it can be put back in its original position. The structure will then be rebuilt using as much of the original sound material as we can but incorporating new stainless steel fixings to replace the problematic iron cramps.

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

On the scaffolding that envelops the tower of Old St Matthew’s, Lightcliffe, West Yorkshire, our architect Kynan Simmons shows the condition of the dome stonework and our contractor Gary Payne explains the challenge of taking down the ball finial and its cast iron pedestal.

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

Thank you as always. Also, what a lovely way of putting it, they are certainly little treasure troves hidden down country lanes!

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 8d

From the linen-fold decoration on the dados to the riot of rambling foliage on the bresummer beam, almost every inch of this magnificent late medieval structure is covered in some form of decorative detail.

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 8d

However, St Jerome’s, Llangwm Uchaf is perhaps most famous for its fine rood screen and loft that dates from the turn of the 16th century.

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