Modbury Mission Community
To know Jesus and make him known
Amazing Spaces Project.
Temporary church venues during the restoration project.
The Modbury Memorial Hall
The MARS QE2 Pavilion
Donation Point.
All donations are gratefully received.
Email us at amazingspaces@modburyteam.org for more information
A Quilt of Memories.
A ‘Quilt of Memories’ is being created in celebration of this Amazing Space, using materials that represent a special occasion, time or person in your life.
The quilt will be hung as a lasting memory for all in St George’s Church.
St George’s Church, Modbury.
Our Grade 1 listed church building needs some Tender Loving Care. We are future-proofing this landmark building by installing a new heating system, a new electric system and restoring the interior. We are creating a vibrant space for everyone at the heart of the community. Help us make this a truly Amazing Space once again.
The screed has been poured.
It took 3 lorry loads of screed to pour the new floor. The heating pipes are under the screed and once it has dried, we will pump a small amount of heat through the pipes to aid the process of fully curing the floor.
Thank you to all the professionals and volunteers who made this a slick and successful day - a day to remember, something we might only see once in our own lifetimes.
The process brought to you in picture format.
Fantastic progress by the ground works contractor and heating engineers!
How things looked during the process of preparing the floor.
We are enormously thankful to many people and organisations.
Our renovation project has been a long time in the making. Many people and organisations have been involved in getting it to this stage. We have been working closely for a number of years with the Diocese of Exeter, Historic England, the Victorian Society and the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings.
The project has been partly funded by generous grant-awarding bodies including Devon Historic Churches Trust, the Benefact Trust, the Ian Foulerton Trust and the Rural Churches Repair Fund. It has been supported financially by Eton College, The Stetson Kindred of America, the Betty Coyte Trust, the District Council and the Modbury Society.
None of this would have been possible without the support and generosity of the congregation, the PCC and the Vicar.
It’s amazing what can be achieved when we work together.
Everything was protected before we began.
Precious items were carefully wrapped; plans were poured over; the organ was put to bed.
Self-help and a cleared church.
Thanks to the enormous efforts of our congregation, with volunteers ranging in age from 4 years to 84 years old, the congregation got the building ready themselves to hand over to the Project Manager and the sub-contractors.
Under the pew platforms and choir stalls, as expected, we found void spaces that were created by the Victorians. These are ideal in shape and size for laying underfloor heating. It means we won’t need to dig the ground, but even so there will be an archaeologist watching and carefully recording everything when the ground preparation is being done.
Thank you to everyone for their hard work!
Pews on holiday in Bigbury.
Half of our pews started their well-earned break in June 2023 after nearly 200 years’ service. They have gone on holiday near Bigbury. We anticipate they will return looking refreshed and ready to go again.
These pews have a long history which was thoroughly recorded by an Independent Archaeologist before they were moved.
The building is truly beautiful and steeped in history.
These beautiful memorial stones dating back to 1780 had been hidden under a carpet for decades. We didn’t know they were there but we have uncovered them.
Upcycle & recycle.
In keeping with our green credentials (we will be hydrogen-ready with the new boilers installed in church), we are encouraging upcycling and recycling everywhere and at every available opportunity.
Pictured here is our old kitchenette being removed by a team who will reuse it at St Lawrence’s Church, Bigbury. Also pictured, two of the upcycled pews in their new homes. Around 30 pews have been re-homed in the local area, with the remaining 20 pews due to return to the building in due course.
Time Team Digital came to see the church in mid-June, just as the original floor was uncovered. It was great to meet people who are as excited about its history as we are.
We hope to finish the internal work by late November.
Are you excited to see the grand restoration? Watch this space for more updates!
Excited about the future.
We hope the interior will look something like this.
This picture gives an idea of the vision we have for the interior. We will be combining old and new, traditional and modern, in a beautiful blend like the church pictured in this photograph.
The chairs and pews can be moved anywhere within the building to suit the occasion. Whether it’s a Sunday service, a concert, a wedding (and wedding reception) or a traditional funeral (with a catered wake), this space will become versatile and adaptable, serving the needs of the community and community groups.
We are making the building accessible to all by installing a sloping porch - we want you to enjoy this amazing space. We look forward to sharing it with you - whether you’re a member of the congregation, the town’s community, a wedding couple, choral group, orchestra or scout troop - you will be very welcome.
Our history: did Modbury Church once look like this?
It is well-known that the origin of Modbury’s church dates back to Saxon times, but there is also a theory that it was originally a Saxon Minster.
Pictured: artist’s impression of a Saxon Minster
The church building today.
The original Saxon structure is long gone, and the church was rebuilt in phases, starting around 700 years ago. Today’s building incorporates stone that has been identified as a Saxon Roundel alongside a beautiful 21st Century roof, as well as materials used in all the years between. This amazing church spans millennia and sits beautifully atop the hill of Modbury high street, an iconic silhouette, drawing people from near and far.
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Modbury Mission Community
To know Jesus and make him known
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