Death-watch beetles have caused a huge amount of damage in the church, which will close on 2 June so that repair work can take place. Three crucial problem areas were highlighted in a survey by the church architect, Robert Montgomery:

• Much of the floor of the nave is damaged by beetle, other infestation and rot – it needs repairing or replacing.
• The organ (and the floor on which it stands) has been damaged and needs to be removed, restored and reinstated.
• Many of the pews are badly damaged and in need of replacement.

The total cost will be of the order of £175,000 to £180,000. This sum needs to be raised in a short space of time to pay for the urgent work needed to save the church for the village.

An appeal was launched in April 2008 to raise funds for this work. The appeal is co-ordinated by the Friends of St James the Great – Rev Pam McKellan, Graham Steinsberg, David Handscomb (treasurer), Jo McDougall, Emma Moore, Simon Birkett and Judy Harris. The committee has approached a number of other possible sources of funding and is planning a series of fund-raising initiative. They have written to church members and everyone in the village to seek support. All gifts received are being held in a separate fund and treated in confidence.

By the end of May, generous donations from within the village and outside added up to about £54,000. With a legacy and a grant for £10,000 from the Oxford Historic Churches Trust, the total stood at over £80,000.

Update: Total now around £100,000 (end of June 2008). July 2008: the total continues to rise but £50,000-60,000 is still needed.

See the calendar for details of fund raising events.

To make a donation please contact Rev Pam McKellan, The Vicarage, Radley, Oxfordshire OX14 2JN (Tel: 01235 554739; email p.mckellen@btinternet.com).

Sponsor a pew or a chair: it will be possible to sponsor new pews and chairs. Chairs would be £150 and pews £2000. If you are interested, please contact Pam McKellan or one of the church wardens.

What's happening in the church

The architect's proposals were agreed by the Diocesan Advisory Committee on 13 May and the work has been put out to tender.

The last services in the church were on Sunday 1 June.

Work began on Monday 2 June to remove the organ. Some of it will be stored locally and the rest taken away for repair. The extent of the damage is not yet known.

The entire floor in the nave and the south transept will be levelled. The original good stone will be kept in position because much of it is too fragile to be moved and some of it is memorial stone that cannot be removed. Replacement stone will be used to fill the gaps.

New pews and chairs will be custom made for the church. Their design will take into account the comments made by those who tried out samples. A combination of pews and chairs will be ordered to give maximum seating and flexibility. There will be chairs at the front and pews behind.  A chair costs £150 each. Pews cost much more.

Arrangements during the closure of the church

Back to Church page