By Shaun Webbley and Filipa Gaspar
A church is to get its first toilet in 1,000 years – after the congregation dwindled amid a lack of facilities.
The Saxon church has survived the Reformation, plagues, and wars, but it was facing a modern problem – lack of toilets.
The lack of a toilet had made the 11th church inaccessible for many people and had deterred attendance.
But after more than 1,000 years, the church in Daglingworth, near Cirencester, is at last getting the facilities the congregation has been desperately needing.
Holy Rood church has been awarded a £35,000 grant from the National Churches Trust.
On the recommendation of the National Churches Trust, the church will also receive a £5,000 grant from the Headley Foundation.
This will see an accessible toilet installed in the base of a bell tower and a kitchen servery added to the north aisle.
With these new installations, the church hopes to attract more visitors and host community activities to help build connections and combat loneliness and isolation.
There are now plans to hold a mother and toddler group, to serve refreshments safely following services.
The church, which has architectural highlights including four Saxon carvings and a 15th-century tower, was heavily restored from 1845 to 1850.
The addition of modern amenities marks a new era in its history, ensuring it continues to meet the needs of its community.
Claire Walker, chief executive of the National Churches Trust, said: “The National Churches Trust is delighted to be able to support Holy Rood church to enable them to install an accessible toilet and servery in their beautiful building.
“Not only will this protect this important heritage, but it will help to keep the church building open and serving local people.”
Steve Brady, churchwarden at Holy Rood church, added, “Our work to improve our much-loved and historic church building reflects a community-wide effort to keep the church open, and at the very centre of village life.
“These two incredibly generous grants ensure that we can make vital changes, and necessary restoration works to the church.
“Creating and preserving the church as a space for all members of the parish to benefit from and enjoy – from the youngest to the oldest – is at the centre of our mission and work here, and we are enormously grateful to have been so meaningfully supported by National Churches Trust and the Headley Fund.”
