WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

 The lead up to this ground-breaking Trust was the issue of the 1979 Quinquennial Report by the church architect Brian Austin. The content of that document was, to say the least, a devastating list of priority works, which, if not taken on board immediately would result in Northampton’s oldest standing building and grade 1 listed national treasure being reduced to ruins within 25 years. The assessment in cost to undertake this task was variable between £750,000 and £1 million pounds depending on all going smoothly and contained in a five year programme. This was not to be as is revealed later.

Holy Sepulchre PCC (Parochial Church Council) was stunned thus the rope barriers and danger signs were quickly erected as gradually more and more bits and pieces of this ancient building dislodged and fell to the ground.

Enter the debate within the PCC as to how this chronic situation could be resolved. Many meetings took place with as many PCC members believing that the church could raise the sums needed as there were who, with something of a business head, realised that this was a situation far and away beyond the ability of the council to attract funds. The arguments continued for a year without any clear way forward. At this time, the late Canon Howard Tibbs, Vicar and churchwarden John Kightley opted to take the matter into their own hands and it fell in a most opportunistic way that Simon Tebbutt was about to close down Northampton’s Civic Society. The outcome was that Simon agreed to join the fight to save the historic and world famous town centre building. It was suggested that a trust be formed, completely separate from the church as the vehicle to collate the needed finance, the basis of which was that from experience we were told that trusts and foundations would be much more approachable for funds for heritage restoration. Eventually the PCC agreed to this option with reservations.

History shows that the trust was formed and became a ground-breaking organisation in the Church of England with other cathedrals and minsters and churches soon following suit.

The five years that was envisaged for raising the funds to restore Holy Sepulchre Church was stretched beyond our wildest expectations…in fact it has taken 27 long fund-raising years to reach the completion of all major phases of work in year 2010.

To learn more of the problems and issues that faced the trustees, please read on.

TRIALS & TRIBULATIONS

Prior to the trust deed being registered and restoration work commencing, a board of trustees was formed. It became the task of those dedicated volunteers to formulate how the trust could raise sufficient funds to kick-start the finances. Along with Hon. Treasurer Tony Cooper and ex-officio churchwardens it was decided to engage professional fund raisers, The Wells Organisation, to target various trusts and foundations. The cost to provide initial background work was a staggering £25,000, a lot of money back in 1981/2. However, Wells had raised the £25,000 within 2 weeks so that the trust could be sure of meeting the fee…also a temporary trust officer Simon Brown was appointed by Wells and he proved to be an extraordinary fund raiser and after 6 months left the trust to it’s own devices and progressing cautiously but with funds in hand.

As the terms of the trust deed were being formulated, various fund-raising groups were encouraged to back up the efforts of newly appointed Trust Officer Flt. Lt Peter Newhouse DFC.  A Professional Ladies Group took to the road “borrowing” the county stately homes for events with starring personnel to talk or entertain. The Simpson Barracks (home of The Royal Pioneer Corps) was the base of all trust meetings for many years with additional sponsored evenings in the Officers’ Mess for exquisite dining and networking. In addition a “Congregation Group” was established to show all that the church was prepared to do it’s bit to help. Set a target of £12,500 this group has raised the enormous sum of over £367,000 and is still striving to increase it’s input.

However, the buildings work did not go as smoothly as expected. Estimates after all are only estimates. The tower and spire cost £26,000 more than originally thought would be needed. The roof cost an extra £30,000, the rot detected in the original north wall of the centre nave needed £38,000 that was not planned for and the enormous outbreak of wet and dry rot in the south aisle floor set the trust back £26,000. Fortunately, English Heritage gave grants totalling around £350,000 over the restoration period, without which completion would have extended considerably. To share in the story of how the trust Congregation Fund Raising Group contributed click on to Photographic Gallery.

CONGREGATION FUND RAISING GROUP

Once the trust was formed this group met to formulate how it could best help trustees to meet the target set for it. Many of those who set out on this road have since left the area or have sadly passed on but it would be grossly unfair not to recognise the input of each of the committee over the years. At the first meeting a most significant suggestion of holding a flower festival sent tremors through the committee bearing in mind the size of the building. It could not possibly have been envisaged where this suggestion would eventually lead the group to achievements acclaimed throughout the UK as unique. This singular thought resulted in a run of five bi-ennial flower and costume festivals ( 1983 themed “Flower & Art Festival – 1985 themed” Heritage Flower Festival”- 1987 themed “Monarchs in Bloom”- 1989 themed “By Royal Appointment” and 1991 themed “Passport to the World” that brought tens of thousands of visitors pouring through the doors of Holy Sepulchre Church. The combination of Marjorie Garrett’s flower arranging team and Pat Kightley’s amazing Kings & Queens of England costumary eventually brought Their Royal Highnesses The Prince & Princess of Wales to view “By Royal Appointment” on the 8^th June 1989 with 15,000 visitors and the sum of £86,000 into trust funds. Click on to Photographic Gallery to view the exclusive photography.

Many other equally worthwhile fund raising activities took place.The group began to expand the use of the world famous “Round” for the presentation of concerts. The first concert was given by The Vogue Singers in 1982 and has continued to the present day, a total of almost 150 by the end of 2009. All groups from schools to local bands to the present day level of major military bands and orchestras delight in returning annually for the enjoyment of helping the trust and to realise the pleasure of performing in the amazing acoustics of the spectacular medieval setting 1100AD.

THE MILITARY CONNECTIONS

It is possibly not generally known of the deep gratitude that the trustees have for the support given by The Royal Pioneer Corps, The Royal Pioneer Corps Association and The Northamptonshire Regiment Association. Not given to seeking publicity, those above have been involved in the long restoration programme from day one. Northampton will long remember the parades for Royal visits, whilst the trustees enjoyed the assistance with security, the magnificence of the silver displays, fanfares, provision of a new door to the upper level, donations, contributions to the restoration of the Regimental Chapel and not least of all the work of the secretariat under Major Bill Elliott RPC.

THE ROYAL VISITS & CONNECTIONS

The trust has been most fortunate to have attracted perhaps more than its fair share of official royal visits over the term of restoration. For this we have to thank especially former Lords Lieutenants Col Chandos-Pole and Sir John Lowther, who, through their Queen’s appointment, have endeavoured to respond to the needs of this famous church. The trust has enjoyed the patronage of HRH Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester for her support, Their Royal Highnesses The Prince & Princess of Wales on the occasion of Northampton’s 800^th Charter anniversary and the festival “By Royal Appointment” and HRH The Duke of Gloucester on the occasion of the appeal re-launch. HRH Princess Alice also graciously opened two other festivals. Click on the 'Restoration Trust Previous Events' page for exclusive photography.

THE WARRIORS CHAPEL
(dedication St George)
within Holy Sepulchre Church.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Northampton, which is the church for the Northamptonshire Regiment, was the scene of an impressive ceremony on Sunday 30^th May 1921,when this chapel, the memorial of the county regiment, as well as the memorial of the parish, was unveiled and dedicated.

The unveiling ceremony was performed by Lord Horne GCB KCMC whilst the Ven F.G. Sandford  MA Archdeacon of Doncaster, cousin of Vicar Keysall dedicated the memorial chapel to St. George.

General Horne unveiled the entrance to the chapel declaring “To the Glory of God and in memory of the officers ,warrant officers, NCOs and men of the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd and 6^th Battalions of the Northamptonshire Regiment and also of this parish and congregation who gave their lives for King, for country, for cause during the Great War”.

This past 88 years has seen many thousands of visitors to the chapel, seeking moments of quiet thoughts in respect to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Latterly ,visitors from around the world have been able to view the two primary standards of the regiment encased in sealed cabinets and lit by cold cathode ray lights to enhance the investment by the Regiment in it’s history.

Other standards that once hung in the chancel in the care of the church council, have now been laid to rest in a casket placed beneath an inscribed tablet central before the altar.

Another important ceremony took place on Sunday 26^th July 2009 when, on the 200^th anniversary of the Battle of Talavera, the Northamptonshire Regiment Association held a special service to celebrate the Association’s work in the area as it is reorganised as the Northampton Branch of the wider Royal Anglian Regiment Association.

Originally written by John Kightley in May 2009
Updated in September 2009