CHURCHES NEED YOUR HELP TO KEEP THE DOORS OPEN THIS SPRING

Church of the Week

Ingestre, Staffordshire

St Mary the Virgin in Ingestre, Staffordshire, is believe to have been designed by Sir Christopher Wren. Opened in 1676, it’s likely this beautiful church was designed by Wren for his friend Sir Walter Chetwynd of the nearby Ingestre Hall. The church is full of treasures, including exquisite plaster ceilings, a carved screen, vibrant stained glass and a richly carved pulpit and tester by the renowned Dutch-born wood carver Grinling Gibbons, as well as fascinating tombs and monuments that illuminate local history. To help protect this rich heritage, St Mary’s is being supported by a grant from the National Churches Trust. “Although our village is small, there are regular services and the church is open every day for private prayer and visitors,” says David Thompson, a member of the Parochial Church Council of Ingestre. “Expert guided tours are available, and the church hosts several concerts each year. But extensive repointing and similar preventative maintenance is required to protect the beautiful interior of the church. We are most grateful to the National Churches Trust for their generous support for this vital work.”