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Preserving the Past of Thornhill in Dewsbury Reporter February 14th 2014 Did you see this well written article about the works that have been going on in our church over the last few years. There is a copy up in church or you might find it on their web site. Well work is now finally complete apart from a little snagging and we finally have our church back just in time for Lent. It looks fine and everything is now safe and preserved for future generations.
Click here for the images and here for the report of the conservation of the monument to Sir George and Lady Anne Savile 1614 by Elliott Ryder Conservation
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For children-- Buggy Praise and Children's Activitiy groups have restarted. See the Families page for more information. Here
http://www.thornhillparishchurch.org.uk/families.htm
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Happy New Year to you all - our Family Praise Epiphany Service is at 9.30 on Sunday January 5th 2014- come and celebrate the arrival of te Kings. On the 7th January it will be ten years since Buggy Praise was started in our church. Come on and Celebrate again.
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Advent Wreath exhibition- a hugely successful weekend with lots for everyone to see and hear.
Pictures are here- https://picasaweb.google.com/101555190427929545364/AdventWreathExhibition?authkey=Gv1sRgCPCC9-z34bOAwwE#
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Sir George Savile & Lady Anne Savile Reconstruction- work is now completed on installing the steel supporting frame inside the monument. A major engineering job will now lead to the monument being able to be rebuilt and conserved. Five and a half tons of rubble was excavated from the interior and interesting 16th century paintings found (see below). The work is being carried out under the English Heritage/ Heritage Lottery scheme funding, by Elliot Ryder conservators.
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Angels Cafe donations to charity now tops £1000
click link below for full list
Monument restoration- work is now being carried out to restore the 1614 monument to Sir George and Lady Anne Savile which straddles the Savile Chapel Chapel. It has posed huge technical problems in making it safe for future generataions to see. Interesting early 16th century painting was found behind the pillars. These have been recorded and will then be coverered up.
Children worked hard on learning about Homelessness and built this mock house out of cardboard November 2013
Roof Repairs - work has now been completed on the urgent high level roof repairs 
10.11.13
A Hard Days Night - something different - a charity fundraising video shot in Thornhill Parish Church based on the Lennon & McCarthy song =by one of our helpers Eddie Cassidy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDdg8HHYZKg
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Major Work The next phase of major work starts on Monday 30th of September and during the first week the church will be difficult to use. As a result of this the Wednesday morning sevice will be at Whitley as will the cafe. A scaffold will be erected outside to carry out urgent roof repairs and a scaffold will be erected in church to block off the Savile Chapel and the Chancel - half way down each. If you come to Harvest on October 6th you will see our banners on the scaffold 4metres wide and 4.5 metres long showing the two East windows. This promises to be a unique experience.
The work being done inside church is the conservation and making safe of the monument to Sir George Savile and Lady Anne Savile 1614. This major structural work will be carried out by Kieran Elliott from Elliott Ryder conservators from Wales assisted by ARC stone masons of York.. Walter West of Dewsbury will be in charge of the scaffolding to assist this work.
__30.09.2013___updated 22nd October 2013_______________________________________________________________
What a super Heritage weekend and Flower festival - a brilliant community event supported by over 20 organisation in the village each showing their own interpretation of life in the communiy.
See You Tube Video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSG1XL1EU0g
or here https://picasaweb.google.com/101555190427929545364/FlowerFestival2013#
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WORK starts on the 10th September for a concentrated 3 months on the final stage of our conservation work. Elliott Ryder come to finish work on the conservation of the smaller monuments not so far done and then in early October on the major Sir George Savile 1614 monument which straddles the Savile Chapel when a steel supporting cage will be installed inside the monument. Work on this monument require scaffolding across the Savile Chapel and the Chancel which will be done in the week beginning September 30th. This will also display large size photos of the two East Windows
. Work will also start on the roof repairs and on the changes to the central heating. In the churchyard further dangerous trees are to be felled.
posted 9th September 2013
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Welcome to the re-named Cafe - now known as The Angels Cafe- continuing in the same tradition as SIDZ cafe it will still provide excellent lunches in church every Wednesday from 11.15 until 1.00. A bonus in this cafe is a chance to meet and talk and foster friendship. On most weeks a further bonus is to listen to our incredible pianist Colin Kneen playing music of yesteryear. What's more it has a 5* hygiene rating. Not been - try it - you will enjoy yourselves.
The cafe is hosted by the church but run on a voluntary basis by 3 'Angels' and a few 'cherubs'. Whilst managing to provide a community facility it also raises funds for local charities such as Traidcraft, Candlelighters and Dewsbury Womens Refuge.
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Jonathan Cooke our Glass conservator was filmed recently about his conservation work and the making of the new window -for our new interactive display unit.
Work on the Rufford memorial 1714
Completed this work funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Churchcare restored, conserved and made safe this momument in the North East corner of the Savile Chapel. It now complements the new East window and the Sir George Savile 1622 .
9th August 2013
TOP Craftsmen in Savile chapel
Two of the top craftsmen in the country are working on the next stage of conservation in the church. Kieran Elliott our monuments expert is working on the repair and conservation of the last few monuments in the Savile Chapel and the South Choir Aisle . Jonathan Cooke our Stained Glass conservator is preparing the old glass from the Savile Chapel East Window for redisplay in the new display unit being cretaed off site at the moment.
Jonathan Cooke at work.
6th August 2013
Summer Fair 13th July 2013--- What a Day one of the hottest days of the year and we all survived - most without too much dehydration.A wonderful day for the whole community having fun, meeting old and new friends and bringing the community together, We raised just over £2800 towards the ongoing work of the church in the community. A new display this year was from the Birstall wood working group which created lots of interest.
A few photos here
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Church Paths We are delighted to report that work on the main paths around the church have been completed - once again with help from the Big Lottery Fund. We have a safe environment for everyone to be able to enjoy visits to the church and chuchyard. The workmen battled through some of the worst weather to complete this difficult project. On Wednesday July 3rd work started on the Upper lychgate path by Conservation Volunteers - call in to help if you are feeling fit. See ful story below 02.07.2013
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On the Move congratulations to our Rural Dean Paul Maybury who is moving to a new post in Cyprus.
'The following announcement has been made the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf Missioner in the South East Cyprus Chaplaincy (Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf; Province of The Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East)The Bishop of Cyprus and the Gulf, the Rt Revd Michael Lewis intends tolicense Paul on the 1st December' 02.0713
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Visit to Hope Street Mosque click here to read Rev Sue's report
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Our new window was part of a conference in Florida in May 2013 American Glass Guild 2013 Conference May 15-19, 2013 This paper presents the story of the window: its fascinating iconography, possibly unique in stained glass; its history, and an overview of the scientific and pastoral aspects of the controversial decisions to displace the medieval glass, and to recreate the window. Jonathan will also describe the processes in his reconstruction of this window, from initial researches and cartoons to the glass painting techniques employed.
http://www.americanglassguild.org/
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Access and Care of paths to Historic Church and Churchyard
We are dleighted that we have been awarded a grant of £10,000 from the Big Lottery to enable us to repair the majority of our paths around the church- the main access paths to the churchyard. This grant enables us to maintain good, safe and disabled access to these historic resources in Thornhill.
Work is progressing well on the Paths around the church and they will be finished for the Spring Bank Holiday 2013. Work on the top lychgate path is planned.
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