Help us raise £500,000 to save St Clement’s tower.
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| Inevitably, over the centuries, the winter frosts and salt winds and rain off the English Channel have taken their toll on the Caen limestone of which the tower is built. Though the basic structure is sound, much of the elaborately carved Romanesque stonework is badly eroded, the surface is starting to laminate and pieces of stone 'skin' regularly fall onto the roofs of the church. Extensive remedial action is needed before before this starts to cause more serious damage.
The first phase of the restoration, the rebuilding of the battlements, was completed in October 2008 at a total cost of £155,000. We are now at an important juncture in the project, as we embark on Phase 2: the restoration of the four faces of the tower.
The recent grant offer of £114,000 from English Heritage is very important for the feasibility of the project, as the restoration of the Romanesque stonework is going to be rather less straightforward than the rebuilding of the battlements. However, the Tower Appeal Committee is confident that the full amount required will be raised over the next 18 months, and believe that we are well on the road to achieving our aim of saving our Norman tower and keeping faith with our heritage.
To read the full report on the current status of the Tower Appeal, click here.
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