St Peter and St Paul at Algarkirk, in Lincolnshire, England, is a beautiful but endangered gem of a medieval building. Completely restored in the 1850's by some of the greatest craftsmen of the day including Carpenter, Crace, Hardeman, Pugin, and Clayton Bell, its incredible stained glass, and painted scheme, along with the fine stone work (and cheeky medieval grotesques) have earned the building a Grade 1 listing, and 3 stars on Simon Jenkins' top 100 churches.
Unfortunately, it is now falling apart.
The Algarkirk Major Project Group (AMPG) have been working for 5 years to raise funds to save the church before it is too late. We have now secured an HLF grant for over £1.7 million, which sounds huge, but barely covers the most essential work. BUT, before we can start work, we have to raise £300,000 in match funding. We hope to raise about £200k from specialist conservation charities, but the last £100k is going to have to come from private donations and fund-raising events. Can you help?
The money will largely be used to reset the priceless stained glass and install a protective glass barrier against the weather; to clean and stabilize the painted decoration; to repair fragile masonry and cracked lead; to re-roof sections, and to install a heating system to protect the fabric from the shock of temperature changes. Having a church of this importance and beauty in our midst is a great blessing, but it is too great a burden for the 275 or so adults who live in this village. We will do all we can, but we need your help too.
Firstly please share this appeal with your friends and contacts, wherever they are. People left our village to settle in America, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. One of our medieval bronzes commemorates a merchant from the Low Countries. Your ancestors may have actually worked on the original reconstruction and still be buried in our churchyard. Who knows.
Secondly, please donate whatever you can by following the steps on this site. Believe me, every penny, euro, cent, or dollar will help. It is a mammoth task, but with your help, we can do this and preserve this "Mini Cathedral of the Fens" for future generations. Thank You!