The bells at St Michael’s are of national importance. One of the bells is a

French bell, cast in 1458, and is one of the oldest church bells still in use

in England. It’s quite something to think that this bell would first have

been heard during the time of the War of the Roses. The bells need

restoration work to enable them to be rung properly again and be heard

by future generations. The quotation for the work is just under £40,000.

Repair of the clock

The church clock has not been working for some months and requires

extensive repairs. The quotation for this work is £2,900.

General church repairs

The church is a Grade 1 listed building, one of only two such buildings in

the entire Borough of Wyre, and is mentioned in the Domesday Book. It is

both an honour and a responsibility for us to have such a beautiful

building in our care, but the costs are onerous on our small parish.

Every five years, we are required to have a report carried out by an

architect, known as the Quinquennial Report. The latest report, carried

out in 2024, identified repairs costing £44,000 which are needed in the

next few years to keep the church in reasonable condition.

The total cost of the required repairs is almost £90,000. We are in the

process of applying for grants but, even if successful, we will need

to raise at least half of the amount ourselves.