This project was designed to improve the interior space of this much-loved historic building so that it can continue to serve and improve its hospitality to the local community, to visitors from far and wide and to the Madingley congregation into the future. The work is now complete and key features include:
- Installation of mains water supply to the church and drainage to cesspool situated in the churchyard.
- A servery and tea preparation unit so that refreshments can be served after services, at concerts, meetings and get togethers.
- An accessible cloakroom with toilet and store located in the base of the tower and with better access to the bell chamber above.
- Improved internal planning to enable social events, concerts, exhibitions and outreach sessions to take place.
- A new vestry to provide a storage and support area for services.
- Upgraded equality of access for everyone including a new church path.
It seems hard to believe that we started planning the West End Development Project in November 2012! Years of meetings, plans, fund raising, obtaining statutory permissions, costing, revising plans and establishing a project team ensued before it was possible for contractors to start on site in May 2019.
In parallel with the WEDP, urgent works to keep the elements out of the building, tree works in the churchyard, conservation of the early 16th century figures of ‘Charity and Justice’ and a roof alarm installation have all been accomplished. Window cleaning and repairs have been undertaken, including at high level, and the building is now filled with light and ready for the next chapter in its long life.
Throughout we have been very aware of our responsibilities in caring for this precious building and tangible evidence from the past of those whose lives have been intertwined with it has been discovered: the Rev’d Whytehead, whose bookplate dated 1892 was found tucked under the eaves of the chancel and the tantalizingly small pockets of evidence from much earlier times discovered by archaeologist Dr Oscar Aldred. We have been hugely thankful that Ashley Courtney, (church architect), R.J. Pinnock and Sons and Hibbitt Masonry (the two Main Contractors involved in the various works) have shown such care and skill in the work they have undertaken.
We had so hoped to have been able to start to build on all the wonderful facilities that the West End Development Project (WEDP) has provided us with but the unexpected repair work to the Chancel roof, which lengthened the time that we have had contractors on site and then the lockdown have put a halt to our plans.
The dedication of the West End Development Project has been put on hold until such time as churches reopen but we eagerly look forward to inviting the community back into the church to see what has been achieved, to thank the generous donors who made the project possible and to take part in the activities that can now take place here.
We are grateful to the University of Cambridge, Department of Estate Management and Institute of Continuing Education and to the Garden Department at Madingley Hall for their co-operation during the building programme.
We acknowledge with very grateful thanks the grants given to the West End Development Project by The Garfield Weston Foundation, the Allchurches Trust and the Betty Lawes Foundation together with the many private donors, including those whose names are listed on the new vestry curtain, who gave so generously and made the project possible.
Conservation and repair work to the Charity and Justice window and security improvements, carried out in parallel with the WEDP project, were enabled through most welcome grants made by the Betty Lawes Foundation, South Cambridgeshire District Council, Cambridgeshire Historic Churches Trust and The Glaziers Trust.
Project Team
| Architect | Ashley Courtney RIBA AABC |
| Main Contractor | R.J. Pinnock and Sons Limited |
| Archaeology | Dr Oscar Aldred MCIfA FSA Scot, Cambridge Archaeology Unit |
| Joinery | Jacowe Joinery |
| Ecology | Chris Vine BSc (Hons), MCIEEM, MRSB |
| Organ Builder | Bishop and Son Organ Builders (Ipswich) |
| Pathway | Clearpave Limited |
| Arboriculturist | Cliff Freed, Acacia Tree Surgery |
| Structural Engineering | Tyrone Bowen MEng CEng MIStructE, Cambridge Architectural Research Ltd |
