Friends of Friendless Churches
@friendlesschurches.bsky.social
We are the Friends of Friendless Churches — we rescue, repair & protect historic ‘closed’ places of worship in England & Wales.
In addition to helping us to care for these historic buildings, the support of our members and donors directly helps us provide employment for these heritage craftspeople with all their conservation expertise.
friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk/support-the-...
friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk/support-the-...
Support us
You can support us by joining, making a donation, volunteering at one of our churches, organising a fundraising event, or leaving a legacy.
friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk
November 13, 2025 at 1:01 PM
In addition to helping us to care for these historic buildings, the support of our members and donors directly helps us provide employment for these heritage craftspeople with all their conservation expertise.
friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk/support-the-...
friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk/support-the-...
Thus, we want to do everything possible to protect the wonderful Georgian box pews inside this Pembrokeshire church. Therefore, Eric Barnes-Green of Seion Church & Chapel Maintenance has helped protect the church from flooding by placing sandbags around the doors.
November 13, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Thus, we want to do everything possible to protect the wonderful Georgian box pews inside this Pembrokeshire church. Therefore, Eric Barnes-Green of Seion Church & Chapel Maintenance has helped protect the church from flooding by placing sandbags around the doors.
Extreme weather requires us to carry out the broadest range of tasks. After several days of heavy rain, St David's, Manordeifi has missed being inundated with water from the River Teifi by only a few inches.
November 13, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Extreme weather requires us to carry out the broadest range of tasks. After several days of heavy rain, St David's, Manordeifi has missed being inundated with water from the River Teifi by only a few inches.
The application of this beeswax and polish was done to nourish this historic woodwork after this year’s long hot sunny summer had dried it out and made it brittle.
November 13, 2025 at 1:01 PM
The application of this beeswax and polish was done to nourish this historic woodwork after this year’s long hot sunny summer had dried it out and made it brittle.
Over in Derbyshire, at All Saints’, Ballidon, Julian Nudds of JN Conservation and Daniel Roythorne of DR Joinery & Conservation have been applying specialist beeswax and turpentine polish to the wall panelling and altar.
November 13, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Over in Derbyshire, at All Saints’, Ballidon, Julian Nudds of JN Conservation and Daniel Roythorne of DR Joinery & Conservation have been applying specialist beeswax and turpentine polish to the wall panelling and altar.
James also removed loose fragments of mortar and stonework that were at risk of falling. We are now using the findings of the visit to plan further stitch-in-time repairs with help from Marcus Chantrey of Chantrey Conservation Architects, our church architect.
November 13, 2025 at 1:01 PM
James also removed loose fragments of mortar and stonework that were at risk of falling. We are now using the findings of the visit to plan further stitch-in-time repairs with help from Marcus Chantrey of Chantrey Conservation Architects, our church architect.
At St Jerome's, Llangwm Uchaf in Monmouthshire, James Preston, a rope access stone conservator, carried out a finger-tip inspection of the church’s tower, removing vegetation and checking over the rainwater outlets.
November 13, 2025 at 1:00 PM
At St Jerome's, Llangwm Uchaf in Monmouthshire, James Preston, a rope access stone conservator, carried out a finger-tip inspection of the church’s tower, removing vegetation and checking over the rainwater outlets.
Biddlestone Roman Catholic Chapel was transferred into our ownership in spring 2025, having previously been in care of the Historic Chapels Trust since 2008.
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November 11, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Biddlestone Roman Catholic Chapel was transferred into our ownership in spring 2025, having previously been in care of the Historic Chapels Trust since 2008.
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The air raid shelter at Biddlestone survives in a near complete state of preservation and, therefore, is one of the best preserved corrugated iron Anderson-type bomb shelters in England.
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November 11, 2025 at 8:01 AM
The air raid shelter at Biddlestone survives in a near complete state of preservation and, therefore, is one of the best preserved corrugated iron Anderson-type bomb shelters in England.
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Accordingly, they built this prefabricated bomb shelter in case of such eventualities. Its location in the basement of the chapel was rather resourceful as the medieval barrel vaulted roof offered additional level of protection in the event of the roof collapsing above.
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November 11, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Accordingly, they built this prefabricated bomb shelter in case of such eventualities. Its location in the basement of the chapel was rather resourceful as the medieval barrel vaulted roof offered additional level of protection in the event of the roof collapsing above.
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Well, the chapel wasn’t always an isolated structure, having been part of Biddlestone Hall, which was demolished in the 1950s. During the War, the hall was supposedly used as a military convalescence home and, therefore, could have been the target of German bombing.
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November 11, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Well, the chapel wasn’t always an isolated structure, having been part of Biddlestone Hall, which was demolished in the 1950s. During the War, the hall was supposedly used as a military convalescence home and, therefore, could have been the target of German bombing.
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Beneath the chapel, in the medieval undercroft, there is a corrugated iron Anderson-type bomb shelter from the 1940s. But why is there a bomb shelter underneath an intensely rural chapel?
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November 11, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Beneath the chapel, in the medieval undercroft, there is a corrugated iron Anderson-type bomb shelter from the 1940s. But why is there a bomb shelter underneath an intensely rural chapel?
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Finally, on the banks of the River Thames, inside St Mary Magdalene's, Boveney, there is a simple yet evocative memorial plaque to Colonel Frank Church, a young man who died just 8 weeks after being sent to France.
November 9, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Finally, on the banks of the River Thames, inside St Mary Magdalene's, Boveney, there is a simple yet evocative memorial plaque to Colonel Frank Church, a young man who died just 8 weeks after being sent to France.
Another First World War commemorative church furnishing can be found at St Eloi's, Llandeloy in Pembrokeshire. The rood screen was erected by a grief stricken mother in memory of her only son Lionel George Theophilus Thomas, who died in the Battle of Ypres aged just 19.
November 9, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Another First World War commemorative church furnishing can be found at St Eloi's, Llandeloy in Pembrokeshire. The rood screen was erected by a grief stricken mother in memory of her only son Lionel George Theophilus Thomas, who died in the Battle of Ypres aged just 19.
In 1917, the 18-year-old son of Brithdir's vicar was killed in a flying accident at a training ground in Lincoln. Lieut. Herbert Ernest Malcolm Owen is commemorated by a brass plaque and the eagle lectern inside his father’s church, St Mark’s, Brithdir, Gwynedd.
November 9, 2025 at 8:01 AM
In 1917, the 18-year-old son of Brithdir's vicar was killed in a flying accident at a training ground in Lincoln. Lieut. Herbert Ernest Malcolm Owen is commemorated by a brass plaque and the eagle lectern inside his father’s church, St Mark’s, Brithdir, Gwynedd.
Inside the church at Castlemartin is a small tablet memorial commemorating Captain Edward Lambton, who died in Egypt in 1916. He was son of Colonel and Victoria Lambton, who themselves are commemorated by the Heaton, Butler and Bayne east window depicting the Ascension.
November 9, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Inside the church at Castlemartin is a small tablet memorial commemorating Captain Edward Lambton, who died in Egypt in 1916. He was son of Colonel and Victoria Lambton, who themselves are commemorated by the Heaton, Butler and Bayne east window depicting the Ascension.
In the churchyard of St Michael’s, Castlemartin in Pembrokeshire, there is a row of five graves commemorating six men who tragically drowned in October 1917 after their ship, the S.S. Ionian, hit a mine and sank in the waters of St Govan’s Head.
November 9, 2025 at 8:00 AM
In the churchyard of St Michael’s, Castlemartin in Pembrokeshire, there is a row of five graves commemorating six men who tragically drowned in October 1917 after their ship, the S.S. Ionian, hit a mine and sank in the waters of St Govan’s Head.
The interior face of the door has trompe l’oeil painting that imitates woodgrain and panelling.
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November 3, 2025 at 1:02 PM
The interior face of the door has trompe l’oeil painting that imitates woodgrain and panelling.
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Inside the porch there is an original panelled Georgian door, covered in graffiti from the past 250 years.
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November 3, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Inside the porch there is an original panelled Georgian door, covered in graffiti from the past 250 years.
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The other notable 18th century addition to St Helen’s church is the proud Classical porch on the southern side of the church.
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November 3, 2025 at 1:02 PM
The other notable 18th century addition to St Helen’s church is the proud Classical porch on the southern side of the church.
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The handsome three-staged red brick tower was erected at a cost of £120, which was about six years’ worth of wages for the average labourer. On top of the tower, there is a graceful bright green copper cupola.
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November 3, 2025 at 1:02 PM
The handsome three-staged red brick tower was erected at a cost of £120, which was about six years’ worth of wages for the average labourer. On top of the tower, there is a graceful bright green copper cupola.
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The most impactful of these Georgian features is the west tower. By the 18th century, Barmby’s medieval tower had become ruinous and was rebuilt in red brick during the general smartening up of the church in the 1770s.
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November 3, 2025 at 1:02 PM
The most impactful of these Georgian features is the west tower. By the 18th century, Barmby’s medieval tower had become ruinous and was rebuilt in red brick during the general smartening up of the church in the 1770s.
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