St Bartholomew’s Church in Hyde has celebrated its first major refurbishment since Victorian times with the completion of phase one of its ‘Giving for Living’ project.
The changes aim to make the church greener, more accessible and more flexible for use by the community, while preserving its historic character.
Among those who attended the special event were parishioners and residents who were joined by the Dean of Winchester, The Very Revd Chris Palmer, the Mayor of Winchester and three former city mayors.
Rector Revd Karen Kousseff said, “Today is all about celebrating our community, the community of the church and the community of Hyde whom we serve. It’s wonderful to have so many people here today to celebrate with us and it shows the support there is for this church in this place.”
The completed first phase includes a step-free entrance along with a new pathway to make access easier for wheelchair users, people with mobility needs and families with pushchairs. There is an oak-panelled internal lobby, two new toilets (one with a stained-glass window!), improved storage facilities and work has been done to prepare for the installation of air source heat pumps.
“It’s really important to do these changes because this ancient building was not built with 21st-century needs in mind,” Karen added. “We run a toddler group where some parents with double buggies were struggling to get through the previous narrow entrance. For parishioners with mobility needs as well, it’s a much better way into the church. It’s an exciting project that will make the church much more fit for modern and future use.”
The project has been led by a team of architects, contractors and volunteers. Former churchwarden and PCC member Andy Wainwright used his experience in project management and quantity surveying to project manage the work. He believes the improvements will help strengthen the church’s role at the heart of the community. He said, “It’s a fantastic day. We’ve put in a lot of effort to make sure this has been an excellent project. The finish is great, and the contractors have been very kind and considerate throughout.
“I think it’s going to encourage more people to see that we’ve got a lot going on here. We’re going to create much more of a community building, because that’s what this church was built for over 900 years ago. It was built for the community, and it’s a fantastic opportunity to be part of the community, not only as a place of worship, but as a place that people can come and use.”
The ‘Giving for Living’ campaign began in 2022 and has combined proceeds from the sale of the parish hall with extensive fundraising and grant applications. Support has come from local trusts, national funders, fundraising events and the Church of England’s ‘Give to Go Green’ campaign, which contributed matched funding towards the church’s future air source heat pump installation.
The church has also been supported by local groups including Hyde 900, and held events such as Art @ St Bart’s, concerts, talks, coffee mornings and open days which have also helped engage the community with the church’s vision for the future.
Long-standing parishioner Mary Calle, who has worshipped at St Bartholomew’s for more than 40 years, cut the ribbon on phase one. The celebration also included a special cake and ploughman’s lunches and a talk on the church’s history. It was followed in the evening by a BBQ and live music.
Mary said, “It looks really super. What’s lovely is that they’ve made these improvements without changing the character of the outside. The church has looked after itself very well over the years and has a very strong community.”
Work is now progressing on phase two of the project, which will include the installation of air source heat pumps, upgraded heating and lighting, refurbishment of the kitchenette, work to the floors and walls, improved audio-visual facilities and the replacement of pews with flexible seating to allow the building to host a wider range of church and community activities.
St Bartholomew’s plays a big role in Winchester’s history. It is the last remaining active link with Hyde Abbey, founded in 1110 as the resting place of King Alfred the Great. The church is also the starting point for the Winchester to Southampton section of the ancient pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela and welcomes many pilgrims throughout the year.
Plans also include the creation of a heritage area telling the story of the church’s connections with King Alfred and Hyde Abbey.
Mayor of Winchester, Councillor James Scott, said, “I think it’s important to see the inclusiveness of the church and the way they’ve made it accessible for wheelchairs and buggies. There was a great gathering today of people who wanted to celebrate the fact that this church has got plans to modernise itself. There’s a real sense of community and a future here for God’s people on this side of Winchester.”
Andy Wainwright gave this encouragement to other churches considering building work. “I would say go for it. There are setbacks along the way and grant applications take time but when you’re successful, it gives you a real buzz. I’ve always had faith that we could achieve this project and today is the result.”
Andy is happy to talk to other parishes interested in carrying out their own church building projects. Contact us at communications@winchesterdiocese.org and we can put you in touch.
