Campaign 2023 - Urgent Tower Appeal

Campaign 2023

St Mary’s is one of the largest churches in Britain and known as Warwick’s ‘church of treasures’ for its rich history and architecture. It has proudly served the town and county of Warwickshire since 1123 and is a monument of national and international significance, attracting visitors from all over the world.

Its landmark tower, destroyed in the Great Fire of Warwick in 1694 and rebuilt in 1704, is over 130ft (40m) high. Visible from every direction, for centuries it has been the focal point for travellers approaching Warwick. The tower offers spectacular views of the surrounding Warwickshire countryside. It houses a ring of ten bells, three of them dating from the original casting of 1701. Every three hours, on the hour, the bells are played as a carillon and each day of the week has its own tune. 

The iconic tower of St Mary’s is our immediate short-term priority and the focus of our current fundraising activity. Over the last few years an increasing number of relatively small pieces of stone have fallen from the tower as the original mortar has turned to dust or been washed away by rainwater. This has been almost exclusively evident on the east face of the tower, with masonry falling onto the roof of the nave, causing no con- sequent safety concerns. In April 2021, a substantial piece of masonry fell from the west face on to the road beneath. Fortunately, nobody was hurt or vehicles damaged, but this is clearly a major health and safety concern for church and townspeople alike. Steps were taken to safeguard the public and a fully netted scaffold was put in place around the base of the tower which will remain until repair and restoration work is completed.

A restoration plan for the tower is in place and we need to raise around £1.4 million to ensure this work is completed to the highest standard and make the building safe for visitors to the town as well as local people. Additionally, it is vital to preserve all the original stonework now before it is too late. It is vital that we start works as soon as possible so that they are completed early in 2023, when we celebrate the 900th anniversary of St Mary’s Warwick becoming the first collegiate church but we cannot start work until 85% of the contract sum is raised or firmly pledged.

Thank you to all those who have already given so generously. We have already received gifts and pledges from members of the congregation, members of the Order of St Mary (see here) and other local people and are continuing to invite people to give over the coming months. Bespoke funding applications are also being prepared for submission to Trusts and Foundations. 

We are seeking your help now in preserving and restoring the tower at St Mary’s.

Together we can ensure the survival of the tower for generations to come, so that people can walk safely underneath, or climb to the top and experience the magnificent views across the Warwickshire countryside. The town and county’s most visible and instantly recognisable landmark will continue its iconic dominance of the Warwick skyline.

For further information on how to give or offer your support please campaign2023@stmaryswarwick.org.uk or complete the contact form below.

For details of how to join the Order of St Mary's please visit https://www.stmaryscampaign2023.org.uk/how-to-join-the-order-of-st-mary

St Mary's is grateful to the following trusts and foundations for their generous support of the campaign.