CHURCH-GOERS have launched a digital crowdfunding platform to raise £37,000 as part of a campaign to keep a 13th century church open and save its roof.

Emergency scaffolding is due to be set up so that a plastic cover can be installed to protect the small rural St Peter's Church, which is located in Llanwenarth near Abergavenny, until repairs are carried out.

The Parochial Church Council is applying to various organisations such as the Heritage Lottery Fund and CADW for grants to cover the total cost of the work estimated at £500,000, but parishioners still need to raise a percentage of the amount.

“We are an active church with weekly services but are fearful that the state of the roof has become so critical that if there is a bad storm, we may have to close the building,” said churchwarden Pip Hassall.

The PCC also wants to make the church more accessible for regular worshippers as well as walkers and other visitors with additional improvements such as toilet facilities and a small kitchen area. And at present there is no running water or sanitation.

The church lies about a mile from Abergavenny close to the River Usk and is thought to have been founded by the Normans in at least the 13th century. The shape of the churchyard suggests they could have rebuilt or rededicated a much earlier one.

There are some unusual features such as an ogival-headed priest's doorway in the chancel and the church has a rare ‘Dole’ cupboard which would have been suspended high above the floor by a chain intended to keep the ‘Dole Bread’ out of the reach of rats. This has been temporarily removed to protect it from damp.

Mrs Hassall said the condition of the church has been causing some concern for some years and in March 2014 the bell-ringing chamber in the tower was declared unsafe. Since then work has been carried out to stabilise it by propping up the floors of the tower with internal scaffolding

“This has enabled us to keep the church open for worship,” she said.

“We want to keep the church open, but more than that we want to make it more accessible for everyone by installing a loo and small kitchen area as well.

“The whole project is likely to cost around £500,000. We are applying to every grant funding body we can find for money but we need help in raising some of it ourselves.”

Parishioners are organising a number of fundraising events, including a bingo evening in the village hall on March 4. More upcoming events will also be featured on parish.churchinwales.org.uk/m219

To donate, go to justgiving.com/crowdfunding/david-hassall