Restored Chronicles of St Laurence: Issue 3 (August 2026)
August 3, 2026
Grants Awarded| Ride+Stride | July Highlights| Coming Next
Welcome to the third edition of Restored Chronicles of St Laurence, sharing progress on the National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported Development Phase of St Laurence Restored.
This edition celebrates a real vote of confidence in the project, with two generous grants supporting essential restoration work, alongside exhibitions and community events that continue to bring people together.
£50,000 Milestone Grant Award
St Laurence Restored has reached a major milestone with the award of a £50,000 grant from The Julia Rausing Trust – the first major charitable trust to support the project.
The funding will help deliver vital repairs to the church’s roof, rainwater goods and stonework, tackling water ingress and helping remove this Grade II* listed building from Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register.
The grant also brings us closer to returning the much-loved Angel Window. Removed for safekeeping after movement was discovered in the surrounding masonry, it has been temporarily replaced by a beautiful tissue-paper version created by local schoolchildren – a wonderful reminder that the future of St Laurence is being shaped by the whole community.
Welcoming more than 25,000 visitors each year for worship, concerts, exhibitions and community events, St Laurence remains at the heart of Stroud. This generous support provides valuable momentum as we move towards the next phase of restoration.
Further Funding Success
We’re also delighted that Gloucestershire Historic Churches Trust has awarded £7,500 towards roof, stonework and window repairs.
On 12 September 2026, the Trust’s annual Ride + Stride fundraiser returns, with participants walking, cycling, riding or using public transport between churches. Some familiar faces within our Stroud parish will be putting their best feet forward to raise funds for Gloucestershire Historic Churches Trust.
Click HERE for more information.
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Discovering St Laurence
Our National Lottery Heritage Fund activities continue to uncover and celebrate the hidden stories of St Laurence. Recent exhibitions have attracted around 60-100 visitors every time the church has opened, with people sharing ideas for future trails and interpretation.
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During July the Bells, Crosses and Treasure Exhibition,
invited visitors to:
- Watch a short film about our bell-ringing community in the bell tower (scan QR code to watch)
- Comment on designs for new roof apex crosses
- Explore fascinating archaeological finds from the church
Delmont the mouse also returned guiding visitors through an updated family trail featuring the church’s history, a medieval floor plan and stories from St Laurence’s past.
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Coming up:
Interwoven,
(8-29 August) join us for community weaving and tell us how you describe yourself so next year we can weave together the community of Stroud.
Fridays 10am – 1pm
August 14th /21st /28th
Saturdays 10.30am – 1pm
August 8th /15th /22nd /29th
St Laurence Quarter – an exhibition celebrating the neighbourhood of Stroud’s parish church over the years,
(28 August-28 September) is in partnership with Stroud Local History Society.
We continue to refine the restoration plan and work with specialist advisers to identify the most urgent repair works in order to strengthen the evidence needed for funding applications, and continue to build local support.
We’d love you to be part of the next stage of the project. Whether you attend an event, share our news, volunteer or donate, your support helps us protect this remarkable building for future generations.
Follow us @stlaurencerestored
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpSZ7qhlM4I
Please scan QR to donate to our Give a Little page
Or click HERE
