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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

On the Sunday 18th October from 14:00 to 15:30, visitors will be able to go inside and see the cleaned and repaired memorials in their new positions. This free event will be the last opportunity to see the inside of the tower this calendar year. 7/7

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Additionally, the white marble monuments inside the tower, which commemorated various members of the Walker family, were cleaned and conserved. 6/7

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

The cupola, with its dome and ball finial, was the main focus of the repairs. This elegant ornamental structure was rebuilt using as much of the original stonework as possible and incorporating new stainless steel cramps to hold it all together. 5/7

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Over 50 years later, we began a project to repair the tower of Old St Matthew’s, thanks to the financial support of our members and donors. 4/7

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Accordingly, in 1974, the tower of Old St Matthew’s was transferred into the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches, becoming the first of now over 70 historic places of worship across in England and Wales. 3/7

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

In the early 1970s, the Bishop of Wakefield wanted to demolish Old St Matthew’s church in its entirety. However, our founder, Ivor Bulmer-Thomas, successfully managed to convince them to spare the tower, with its charming stone cupola. 2/7

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

The first building to come into our care and one of the most recently repaired, the tower of Old St Matthew's, Lightcliffe will be open for visitors this Sunday. 1/7

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Therefore, if you’d like to find out more about these two wonderful Victorian churches and support our work, then please follow this link to our website: friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk/news/match-f...

friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk

A Victorian Revival

A Victorian Revival match funding campaign aims to save two historic churches in Lincolnshire and Carmarthenshire. Please do act now.

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

The combined repair bill for these two churches will be in excess of £1 million. Thus, we are delighted that this year, a generous donor has agreed to make your support go twice as far, matching every pound you give, pound for pound, up to £500,000. 7/8

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

However, thankfully, we have the opportunity to rescue St Helen’s, Biscathorpe - along with St Tyfi’s, Llandyfeisant in Carmarthenshire - through our ‘Victorian Revival’ match funding campaign. 6/8

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

The benches inside St Helen’s, Biscathorpe are sadly at risk of being lost forever as the church has fallen into a state of serious decay, with the ceilings close collapse, significant water ingresses, cracked and blown external render, and structural movement. 5/8

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

The vast majority of poppy-head bench ends are simply stylised fleur-de-lis carvings, such as those inside St Helen’s, Biscathorpe. However, across England you’ll find poppy-heads with rich and fascinating carvings. 4/8

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

The meaning of the word eventually transferred from ship figureheads to pew carvings; and the Old French word poupée, meaning a doll, became poppy-heads in English. 3/8

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Although such bench ends are known as poppy-heads, they have little do to with poppies. Instead, the name comes from an Old French word derived from the Latin, puppis, which refers to the figurehead of a ship. 2/8

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Covered in crumbled plaster, decades of dust, and spider’s webs, the pews inside St Helen’s, Biscathorpe are 19th-century benches with poppy-head ends. 1/8

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

If you’d like to visit St Lawrence’s, then the church will be open 10am-4pm every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until the end of October. For access at other times, please contact our office. 6/6

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Every donation from visitors and supporters - no matter the size - means that our churches can be enjoyed both today and in the future. Accordingly, please follow this link to find out more about how you can support our work: friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk/support-the-... 5/6

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

We are very grateful for the kind comments and generous donations left by these visitors. It’s thanks to the support of such donors that we are able to rescue and care for churches like St Lawrence’s. 4/6

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Someone else said that “the restoration is amazing and the wall paintings are beautiful” and another visitor commented that “you all must be so proud of how the church now looks.” 3/6

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

One visitor said that they were “impressed beyond words by what FoFC has achieved… To see the wall paintings discovered was an incredible experience and privilege. Without you all this would have been lost.“ 2/6

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

After years of work, St Lawrence's, Gumfreston has reopened and we have been delighted by the wonderful comments left by visitors. 1/6

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Thus, we hope to raise the money necessary to be able to restore St Tyfi’s, Llandyfeisant, along with St Helen’s, Biscathorpe in Lincolnshire, through our ‘A Victorian Revival’ match funding campaign. 9/10

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

However, if we are to undertake all the repairs that are necessary at St Tyfi’s, we would be looking at a bill somewhere in the region of £650,000. 8/10

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

We want to work with this local group and take this hidden church into our ownership in order to repair it and make it safe for people to use and enjoy for decades to come. 7/10

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

The church is suffering from severe decay of the roof timbers, invasive vegetation and defective drainage. But the insistently cheerfulness bunting strung from the wall plates has for us become a symbol defiance. 6/10

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Since then, St Tyfi’s has been supported by an indefatigable group of four local men. However, the repair needs are mounting and their hope of being able organise and finance the repairs is moving ever further out of reach. 5/10

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

By the 1980s, the church had fallen into a state of near dereliction but was restored with the help of unemployed labour from the Manpower Services Commission and then, in the late 80s, it opened briefly as an information centre and shop. 4/10

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

When St Tyfi's church closed in 1961, its font and stained-glass window war memorial were removed and placed inside St Teilo’s church in nearby Llandeilo for safekeeping. 3/10

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Located in Dinefwr in Carmarthenshire, the church was essentially the family church of the Lords of Dynevor until the mid-20th century, when the church closed and the Lords of Dynevor had to sell the nearby Newton House. 2/10

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

For St Tyfi's, Llandyfeisant the past 65 years has been chequered, with some highs, but a lot of lows. Now, in 2026, this church is officially designated as ‘At Risk’, however, we are determined to save it. 1/10

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

The cards read “Happy Christmas! Nadolig Llawen!” inside. Each pack of eight cards costs just £6+ P&P (UK). International shipping is available only by calling the Charity Cards office at +44(0)1934522920. 3/4

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Meanwhile, from our English churches, we have an image of glowing stained glass at St Vigor’s, Stratton-on-the-Fosse in Somerset, which is currently in the process of being vested in our care. 2/4

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

This year’s Christmas cards are now available to purchase and we have two designs for you to choose from. From our Welsh churches, we have selected a photograph of St Anno’s, Llananno covered in a gentle dusting of snow. 1/4

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Biddlestone Roman Catholic Chapel in Northumberland will be open for visitors between 10am and 4pm on Saturday October 3rd

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Ben innovates on Bach’s Prelude using an arpeggiator on his synthesiser and completes his video with a full performance of Ave Maria. To hear that wonderful composition and learn more about St Mary’s chapel, please follow the link to Ben’s video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVRN...

youtube.com

Bach’s most HEAVENLY keyboard piece... has no melody at all!

You can support my work here: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=BXVFTEXGXUFT6 Thank you! …or visit www.benmatonmusic.co.uk, for my mailing address!

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

The talented organist Ben Maton recently visited St Mary of the Angels', Brownshill, Gloucestershire and played JS Bach’s Prelude in C Major arranged for the analogue modelling synthesiser.

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Then, to sign up for Rachel’s members-only online talk on Thursday, 15 October, please follow this link: friendsoffriendlesschurches.beaconforms.com/form/f95bf349 📷 St Andrew's, Wood Walton, Cambridgeshire © Adrian Powter

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Next month, Rachel will be giving an online talk to our members about her book. This will be an event exclusively for FoFC members and, therefore, if you aren’t a member then there’s still time to join. Please follow this link to join today: friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk/become-a-fri...

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

The term ‘Church Crawling’ was coined by John Betjeman, who was one of the original friends in the room when the Friends of Friendless Churches was founded back in 1957. 3/5 📷 St Andrew's, South Huish, Devon

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

In Church Crawling: The Secret Lives and Hidden Stories of England’s Churches, Rachel Morley highlights eight of our churches, including Ayshford Chapel; St Mary Magdalene's, Caldecote; St Andrew's, South Huish; and St Andrew's, Wood Walton. 2/5 📷 St Mary Magdalene's, Caldecote, Hertfordshire

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

In our director’s new book, Church Crawling, she writes about several churches in our care and our members will get an opportunity to hear more about those churches and the book more generally in an exclusive online talk. 1/5 📷 Ayshford Chapel, Devon

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk

A Victorian Revival

A Victorian Revival match funding campaign aims to save two historic churches in Lincolnshire and Carmarthenshire. Please do act now.

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Thankfully, we have the opportunity to rescue St Helen’s, Biscathorpe - along with St Tyfi’s, Llandyfeisant in Carmarthenshire - through our ‘Victorian Revival’ match funding campaign. 7/9

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Therefore, Griff Rhys Jones has argued that “in the longer term, a sensitive new use for it is needed, one that preserves the lovely and largely intact interior and its original suite of furnishings." 6/9

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Accordingly, St Helen’s is one of the most endangered Victorian buildings in England, being at immediate risk of further deterioration if vital repairs cannot be undertaken. 5/9

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

However, having been neglected for many years, this charming historic church has ended up in a terribly sad state, with the ceilings close collapse, significant water ingresses, cracked and blown external render, and structural movement. 4/9

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Friends of Friendless Churches @friendlesschurches.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

St Helen’s is a stunning example of Gothic Revival architecture, designed by local Lincolnshire architect W. A. Nicholson, and built in the 1840s. The architectural highlight of the church is its sumptuous steeple, peppered with crocketted pinnacles and ghoulish grotesques. 3/9

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