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Fundraising campaign bears fruit to repair St Andrew’s Church, in Northborough - the resting place of widows of Oliver Cromwell and John Clare




A community has raised tens of thousands of pounds to save its history-rich church from potential closure.

After years of damp issues caused by a leaky roof, St Andrew’s Church, in Northborough, was put on Historic England’s At Risk register in January 2020.

Faced with a six-figure repair bill, the future looked bleak for the 12th-Century building where the widows of both Oliver Cromwell and famous poet John Clare are buried.

The leaky chancel roof
The leaky chancel roof
Evidence of damp can be found all around St Andrew's
Evidence of damp can be found all around St Andrew's

However, after a successful community campaign, work to restore St Andrew’s is expected to begin in March.

“There was so much wrong with the church that if something didn’t happen it would fall into further decline and they may have to close it,” said campaign chairperson Clare Strak. fundraiser and .

“The biggest problem was the lead on the chancel roof which was allowing water in.

The Save Our St Andrew's team with the 'money-ometer'
The Save Our St Andrew's team with the 'money-ometer'
Buckets can be found in St Andrew's to collect donations and rainwater
Buckets can be found in St Andrew's to collect donations and rainwater

“We have buckets all over the church, some to collect donations, but mainly to collect rainwater.”

The original church building was erected in the 1100s and boasts several additions, including a Tudor porch and the 15th-century Claypole Chapel.

Fundraising efforts stalled before it even began when the country went into lockdown, just two months after the Historic England announcement.

St Andrew's Church was first built in the 12th century
St Andrew's Church was first built in the 12th century

But after an inaugural art exhibition and open gardens got the ball rolling in spring of 2021, the Save Our St Andrew’s campaign has snowballed.

“As we came out of covid, I suggested to the PCC that we started a campaign,” Clare said.

“For the next two years we held a fundraising event every month or six weeks.”

Cream teas at the priory
Cream teas at the priory
Fundraisers included a dog show
Fundraisers included a dog show

As well as working on a regular string of events, the eight-strong group pulled in support from all around the village, including the school, parish council and Pack Horse pub.

Opera singer Bradley Smith became a prominent supporter of the campaign after moving in at Northborough Manor which hosted outdoor Shakespeare plays and regular cream teas.

Events were staged around the Queen’s Platinuim Jubilee, the King’s Coronation, and a celebration of Elizabeth Cromwell’s life in September 2023 which included re-enactments from the Sealed Knot.

The Rev Keir Dow with members of the Sealed Knot at the memorial event for Elizabeth Cromwell
The Rev Keir Dow with members of the Sealed Knot at the memorial event for Elizabeth Cromwell

Martha Clare, the wife of 19th-century poet John Clare, is also buried at the ‘Church of the Two Widows’, and her life will be celebrated in another prominent event over the Mayday bank holiday weekend this year.

Elizabeth Cromwell came to live with her daughter and grandchildren at Northborough Manor after Oliver’s death, while Martha lived in the village for 40 years after the Clares moved from Helpston to a rented cottage there in 1832.

“The whole purpose was to get the village behind restoring the church,” said Clare.

St Andrew's is known as the Church of the Two Widows
St Andrew's is known as the Church of the Two Widows

“Before we applied for grants we had to show that people in the village were fully behind us.”

Having raised £35,000, grants from the Wolfson Foundation, the Cambridgeshire Historic Church Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, and National Churches Trust took the tally to £65,000 before an anonymous donation of £10,000 was received.

The first phase of work will cost £94,00 and focusses on the chancel, replacing its leaky lead roof, pipes and guttering, and repairing coping stones.

The Sealed Knot put on a Civil War re-enactment in Northborough in September 2023
The Sealed Knot put on a Civil War re-enactment in Northborough in September 2023
The Handlebards perform Twelfth Night at Northborough Manor
The Handlebards perform Twelfth Night at Northborough Manor

They expect at least two further phases after that, firstly to re-point the church’s pock-marked western wall, and then to fix the glazing and replace timbers affected by damp, particularly beneath the church bells.

“It has been a lot of fun and the main priority for any event is that it should be a lot of fun,” Clare added.

“The campaign has a lot of momentum behind it. Now we have hope.”



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