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<p>It is extremely difficult to assess the potential costs of repairing specific elements
of churches. Often the exact nature of the work to be done is not known until a detailed
assessment has been made, something which in itself costs money. Windows are especially
vulnerable to wind and weather, as well as isolated cases of vandalism and accidental
damage to the glass. Along with roofs they are key areas that must be maintained in
order to keep the buildings in use. Stained glass is particularly valuable and unusual
– indeed it is the only type of art that also keeps the rain out. The Church of England
is aware of a number of local projects to restore and repair windows in the Dudley
area, one of the most recent being at St Marks Church, Pensnett, where an appeal for
£33,000 was launched by parishioners to restore the masonry around the chancel windows.</p><p>The
Church of England does not use its limited resources to assess potential costs in
detail because any such survey would be out of date as soon as it was complete. Issues
such as available grant funds, availability of specialist contractors and scaffolding,
as well as the time of year all affect potential costs. What we do know is that the
cost of maintaining these beautiful windows is often more than an individual parish
can cover. We are grateful to the Wolfson Foundation, Pilgrim Trust and Radcliffe
Trust who all work with our own specialist conservation committees to award valuable
grants to churches for works such as repair of stained glass. The www.churchcare.co.uk/churches
website provides more information on how to apply for these along with a list of recipients
from previous years.</p><p>The London Stained Glass Repository part of the Glaziers
Foundation is also a good location for churches looking to replace damaged windows
ot install new windows. The Repository rescues good quality glass & seeks to find
new homes for it. Stained glass which is under threat from building closure or vandalism
is brought to the attention of the Repository, usually by the Church Commissioners.</p>
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