St Martin in Herne

A Grade I listed church of historical and architectural importance , St Martin in the Herne dates mostly from the first half of the 14th century, when an earlier 12th and 13th century Chapel of Ease was almost entirely rebuilt. It is considered an outstanding and very complete church of the mid-14^th century with a very fine North West tower and fully aisled nave and chancel. Like most churches the building acts as a depository of the nation's history with memorials to the powerful families of the past. The church and churchyard with the WWI and WWII memorials also holds more recent memories of those who perished in the two great wars of the 20th century. It has excellent late medieval furnishings, including choir stalls with misericords, 15^th century font and a fine screen to north chapel.

In 2017 the church received grant funding to help with repairs to the west wall of the church and to install a toilet with mains drainage. The repair of crumbling masonry will safeguard the historical and architectural significance of the building for the foreseeable future.

Top tips from completed project feedback:

• Find a good conservation architect and quantity surveyor to manage the project

• Find experienced contractors with in house skills for as many parts of the project as possible.

• Keep the congregation and local community informed and engaged, involve local amenity groups

• Keep good and detailed records of expenditure

• Record the repairs and work for posterity and to show the congregation and local community

• Build links with others who can assist in the project, such as the local bat group and the local brewery

• Plan and record activities undertaken, also gather visitor information