Holy Trinity faces a challenge. The Horsham Stone roof is slipping off!
Although many short-term repairs have been carried out over the last thirty years, it is now reaching the point where all the stone must be removed and re-laid.
The roof is not only an important architectural feature of the church in itself, but it also protects the artistic heritage within the building, particularly the stunning painted ceilings by Kempe immediately below, which attracts much attention from visitors.
Charles Eamer Kempe lived locally and worshipped regularly at Holy Trinity and we have a rich and varied collection of artefacts designed by him and his studio. As part of the roof project we intend to celebrate our connection with Kempe and to translate the artistic heritage that we have at Cuckfield into a twenty first century legacy.
Relaying the Horsham Stone roof on the church will require careful planning. Work to date has provided us with a preliminary costing of about £1.2 million (including VAT). Substantial grants will be required from organisations that support conservation work on churches and other historic buildings, including the Heritage Fund of the National Lottery. Meeting the objectives of the various grant makers will be a significant challenge.
However, everyone can help to build our own resources for this work. If you would like to donate specifically for this work please follow this link: https://givealittle.co/campaigns/92f006c5-9a6a-4992-a020-fc499bb8786a