Withersfield Tower Blessing
Withersfield was busy with visitors on Sunday 21st September, celebrating the end of restoration work to the church’s tower. Both the Revd Max and the Revd Cat ascended the newly restored tower to bless it with a short ceremony, before the tower was opened for tours throughout the afternoon.
As well as the spectacular views across the village and surrounding farmland, visitors to the tower could see the old bells, still rung from a chiming apparatus, the historic windlass preserved in the clock chamber, and the clock mechanism itself, which was also recently repaired to celebrate the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Younger and older visitors alike were encouraged to bring along a favourite teddy to take part in the teddy parachute jumps. Over twenty adventurous bears and other creatures braved the drop, where a specially set-up medical station was waiting to ensure that they were fit to be returned to their owner.
Max says, 'The whole afternoon was a wonderful occasion to bring the local community together. There was something for everyone to enjoy, and it was great to make the tower the focus, now that urgent repair work has been completed. We are hugely grateful to everyone who supported this project, and especially to the Withersfield Church Preservation Fund, which seeks to preserve the church fabric for the community to use now and in the years to come.'
The afternoon concluded with a thanksgiving service, celebrating Harvest Festival. Money raised on the day will go towards the next stages of repair work needed on other parts of the church.
The work to the tower cost in the region of £80k, because of the specialist contractors required to work on the historic stonework in some difficult to reach parts of the tower. As well as local contributions, grants which enabled the work to be done were received from the Suffolk Historic Churches Trust and the Benefact Trust, as well as the National Churches Trust for which Withersfield received a special award, nominated by the Friends of the NCT.
Withersfield Church is open for viewing throughout the day, and there will be more opportunities to explore the tower in the future.