Restoration - Phase 2

The contractor for this phase is Dorian Phillips of Llanboidy, Whitland. The work will involve the repair of the tower roof including removal of damaged slates and leaking copper lined guttering, repointing, stone work repairs, repointing the external walls and repair of beams and structural timbers together with all ancillary work.  The roof will be reslated with Penrhyn slate and gutters relined with lead.   This work is needed urgently to safeguard the medieval bell frame in one of the earliest church towers in the county.The anticipated cost of this work is £160,000 plus VAT and is likely to continue until the end of the year

  We applied to HLF for grant aid in March 2009 and were successful in being awarded a Development Grant of almost £20,000 which enabled us to develop our proposals to the standard required for a full application. In September our architects, Caroe and Partners, invited tenders from six contractors with Dorian Phillips of Llanboidy, Whitland, receiving the contract.

   We are fortunate that SITA Trust will support the project with funding up to £50,000 with the Friends of St Mary's being the Contributing Third Party to reimburse 11.5% (£5,750) of the grant.

In December 2010 HLF confirmed its grant of £65,000.

We will also receive £3,000 funding from the Welsh Church Act Fund, administered by Pembrokeshire County Council.

Once the liklihood of meeting bats in the tower was removed work was allowed to begin on 26 April 2011 when scaffolding began to cocoon the tower.

We have also received generous support from:

The Austin Bailey Foundation; Haverfordwest Town Council; Haverfordwest Gild of Freemen; Sir John Perrot's Trust; Allchurches Trust Ltd; Mr and Mrs GA Marsh; Miss Joan Rees; Haverfordwest Ladies Choir; Mr JAR Folland; The Mayor(collection at the Civic Service of Nine Lessons and Carols); donations in memory of Bernard Merriman, Alan Barker, Mrs Alice Earle and Miss Nancy John; The E & G Morgan Charitable Trust; Mr MDR Thomas; Garfield Weston Foundation; The Veneziana Fund; Welsh Church Act Fund.

click here for MORE PHOTOGRAPHS OF TOWER ROOF/pdf file

Phase 3. We hope to install a new heating system,and improve the lighting in the church. The present heating system fails to provide enough heat to use the church for concerts and other events in the winter months.

We are developing community use of this fine church, particularly in promoting cultural events for the benefit of residents and visitors. For details of the many functions held in the Church see 'Events'

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This website has been created with the assistance of PAVS