Reordering Project
A message from the Vicar
In Holy Trinity Church we have a place of worship that has continued to serve generations of our Cuckfield community since the 11th century. Whilst much of the structure remains as it has been for some hundreds of years, the arrangement of the interior has frequently been altered. Change, however, should never be made merely for change’s sake, but rather to meet the evolving needs of the worshipping community.
In recent years diverse styles of worship have developed based on community needs. Yet all of these are being conducted within facilities created by the Victorians in the 19th century. These have certainly served us well for 150 years, yet time has taken its toll on the building. Our repair, restoration and reordering project has enabled us to provide suitable worship space for current and future generations.
We are blessed with a church of spectacular beauty – ceiling, stained-glass windows, organ, etc. – all of which have been recently lovingly restored and which we continue to protect and cherish for our successors.
The project has, however, helped to ensure that Holy Trinity can meet Cuckfield’s needs as a place of worship for the next 150 years. Whilst the Church has been and will remain just that – a place of worship – we look forward to the changes enabling us also to accommodate more community activities than at present.
I hope that you use your love and enthusiasm for the Church to support us in this exciting vision for the future that this vital project has represented.
Yours in Christ.
Nick Wetherall
Key Features of the Project
The project has involved only the interior of the Church. No alterations have been made to the stone structure of the Church, or to its windows or ceiling – all of which have been lovingly restored within the past ten years – nor to much else of interior. The largest part of the project has been essential repair and replacement of the flooring and heating distributon system within the Nave and Tower Vestry and the installation of a new limestone floor and sustainable underfloor heating. The Baptistry floor – one of the earliest-known Chamberlain Worcester encaustic tiled floors – has been carefully conserved and restored for the Baptistry itself to be brought back into full use. The Nave pews, which were in very poor condition have been removed and replaced with new oak chairs, permitting a 'gathered' worship arrangement and providing greater comfort. Improvements in the furnishing of the Welcome Area of the Church and to the Children's Area have been part of the project. The wish to create a greater sense of welcome has extended to the addition of glazed inner doors to the North Porch. Full integration of the Chancel and Nave has been achieved by the creation of an extended Chancel dais, the relocation of the Chancel screen into the Tower Vestry and the provision of new, adaptable choir stalls. A new, discreet, audio-visual system has improved sound quality, including provision for the hard of hearing, and a small fixed cinema system has meant that we can contemplate new and different styles of worship.
The changes have been driven both by essential repair and restoration and by the worship and mission needs of the Church in the 21st century, which are rather different from the 19th century. Whilst meeting these primary needs, every effort hs been made to ensure that the reordered church is much more suitable as a base for community activity. Already more and bigger concerts have been booked to take place once the space is available to accommodate a larger orchestra, and we envisage many other opportunities for the resource of the reordered Church to serve the parish.
Timing
The Chancellor of the Diocese of Chichester granted a full Faculty ('plnanning permission') for the repair, restoration and reordering project in July 2011. Works began on 3 January 2012 wth completion in time for both Trinity Sunday 3rd June and the celebrations of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. During this period the Church has been closed, but with normal services taking place in The Old School which is adjacent.
Consultation and Communication
There were extensive consultations and communications within the Church, wider Parish and with other organisations over two years. This is a continuing process and views and comments are welcomed by the Reordering Project Group, which is a foirmal Committee of the PCC. Please contact the Group Chairman, Colin Sewell-Rutter.
An Autumn Newsletter gives lots of information about the project and tells you how you can help make it happen.
You can donate online now to the Reordering Project Appeal. Thank you.
