Lower Basildon: Raise the Roof!

St Bartholomew's Church, Lower Basildon, Berkshire

St Bartholomew’s in Lower Basildon, Berkshire has been in the care of the Trust since 1978 and is a beautiful flint and brick medieval church close to the river Thames.  With a history intertwined with fortunes and tragedies of local families, the church and churchyard has a host of fascinating monuments and memorials including the memorial to Jethro Tull, father of the agricultural revolution who was born in the village, baptised and buried at the church.   

St Bartholomew’s is supported by the Friends of St Bartholomew’s who keep the church open for visitors and the community with occasional services, events and activities.  The church has its own resident choir and volunteers run a small café area called “Tulls Teas” to support events.   

The Trust now needs to replace the tiled nave roof, the roof battens have rotted, and the clay plain roof tiles started to slip, opening the building fabric to wind and water and leaving it vulnerable to significant damage and decay. For a time, the church had to be closed to all visitors and the well-attended services and community events had to be cancelled.   

The Trust has invested £18,000 from emergency funds to make the church weathertight with a corrugated roof. The cost of permanently replacing the nave roof is currently estimated at £180,000 and with income from legacies, fundraising events and donations to date including a further donation from the trust we need to raise a further £104,133.   

Please consider making a donation which can really make a difference.   

If you would like to be involved in the fundraising campaign, to support St Bartholomew’s and help us to secure this well-loved church for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations please contact Victoria Green, Local Community Officer, on vgreen@thecct.org.uk.

Want to learn more? Click the below button, and be redirected to enjoy our YouTube video. This video explains the project further and gives an overview of the history of St Bartholomew's Church.