Break in at a beloved family church in Staffordshire

The Grade II Church of St Mary’s in the isolated village of Patshull, Staffordshire, recently has fallen victim to a brutal crime resulting in thousands of pounds of damage to the church fabric and its roof.

Both external doors that are set in the base of the bell tower, one leading up to the ringer’s room and the other to the vestry off the Dartmouth Chapel, have been forced causing significant damage to both locks.

Upon the incident being reported by a local resident, the Churches Conservation Trust’s Conservation Team acted quickly, and the site has been temporarily protected. The bell tower door has been fitted with a hasp and staple plus solid padlock, and the vestry door secured. However, the full extent of the damage is still being investigated.

CCT Conservation Project Manager, North Region, Helen Mulholland, had this to say about the incident:

“This is a prime example of heritage crime which has caused unnecessary harm to a historically significant church. This mindless vandalism means that the Trust's staff have needed to allocate valuable resources to carry out repairs and make the site safe, which could have been better used elsewhere across the estate."

The church of St Mary’s is a handsome sandstone church built in 1742. It houses impressive sixteenth and seventeenth-century memorial to members of the Astley family, for whom the church was originally built for. This recent crime introduces a sad chapter to the long history of this loved family church.

CCT is appealing for donations to support the cost of the repairs.  You can donate on our website, by calling the Fundraising team on 0800 206 1463, or by texting ‘PAT’ to 70970 to donate £5 and to 70191 to donate £10.