Updated June 2008

What we mean to do is to install an equal-access toilet and simple kitchen facilities at the west end of the church, near the main entrance. We would also like to create an adequate vestry.

Preliminary work has begun to make space for these. We have dismantled the organ and removed it to store. It will be rebuilt on a new gallery above the proposed facilities. The organ was well overdue for major repairs and the rebuilding will give us the opportunity to carry these out. It will make a huge difference to the whole Westleton experience which is why we've called our campaign 'KEY CHANGE'

What will happen? How much will it cost?
After four years of fund-raising events supported hugely by contributions from the village of Westleton itself, we have raised 40% of our target figure.

Over the next three years, through fund-raising events, additional donations

(some already promised) and interest-free loans, we are hoping to increase our funds to £187,000.

Building a gallery
The next real signs of activity now that the organ has been dismantled, will be test drillings and archaeological exploration at the west end of the church building. These tests will be carried out in the summer of 2008. It may be possible to begin building before the end of 2009. The erection of the steel frame to support the gallery will cost £18.000. The gallery will be completed by installing the screen, balustrade and organ case. It is hoped to complete the project in its entirety by installing the kitchen, vestry and equal-access WC at ground floor level at the same time. The total building cost for this part of the project is budgeted at £127,000, but 'on-costs' will add a further £25,000.

Rebuilding the Organ
Organ Design
The rebuilt organ will consist mostly of early nineteenth century pipework. This comes from the Westleton instrument and from an organ previously in the church of St. Mary-the-Less in Cambridge which is of similar vintage. It will become an instrument of three manuals divided between a main case and a chair case situated on the front of the new west end gallery. The total cost of the mechanism for this organ will be in the region of £35,000. Two thirds of the funding for this is already to hand.

The design for the gallery and organ case
The design of the gallery and screen is by the the respected architect Brian Haward, ARIBA. It is conceived as being in harmony with the building as a whole, and it integrates the facade of the gallery and screen with an organ case specially designed for the intrument by the organ builder Peter Bumstead. The carved, scalloped shapes of the pipe shades of the organ case give a vibrancy which expresses the fine singing tone of the early nineteenth century pipework.

Sketch of the proposed organ case and gallery

We would so appreciate your help