By Paul J. Condra
It's the thanks being offered by a posterity-minded religious group in the district of Worcestershire, England, to those willing to help raise money to save the crumbling Little Malvern Priory, a small monastery that was founded in 1171.
I really don't know what to expect of it. This is unprecedented, said Malverne Mayor Anthony Panzarella, who announced the campaign at a village hall meeting earlier in the month. But the mayor said he was optimistic that even during these distraught economic times, perhaps Malvernians would be able to make a contribution.
Panzarella received news of the fund-raising effort from Jeremy Webb, of the Malvern that's without the e' Priory Tower Appeal Committee, who wrote: The tower of our unique church needs major attention not surprisingly as it was built over 300 years before Columbus reached the Americas and I have undertaken to appeal to Malverns, including Malvernes everywhere (USA, Jamaica, Australia, maybe others we haven't discovered yet) for their support and for a helping hand.
The priory was constructed in 1171 on the eastern side of the Malvern Hills between the Severn and the Wye in Worcestershire. It was built by Benedictine Monks, who also built the Great Malvern Priory which sits on one of the green rolling hills about three miles away. The larger priory, built around the same time, lies on the spot where St. Werstan, a monk of Deerhurst, was slain while fleeing the Danes.
As Webb explained in an e-mail, The priory is still open for use. The problems are in the tower... There was remote danger that a very large stone might fall on someone's head. We have made sure that won't happen and everything is safe.
It is in the tower where the massive 100-year-old tiles are loose and decaying along with the timbers holding them in place. In addition, the stonework in the walls of the tower and the buttresses that support it need strengthening as they were weakened when the nave either collapsed or was demolished about 400 years ago.
Medieval buildings are costly to repair, as everything has to look original. Luckily there are first-class craftsman still available, Webb said. A major cost element is scaffolding, as the tower is high.
He said the cost to repair the priory is about $530,700 to be spread over two phases. For the first phase the essential repairs Webb said the congregation of about 80 has raised $190,167, enough to begin saving for the second phase, which would complete all the architect's recommendations.
As a national monument, the priory does expect help from English Heritage, a government body, but Webb said he's sure it won't cover all the cost.
To date, he said, none of the Malvern(e)s he contacted on the Internet has responded. People who do help, will be recorded in the Tower archives and warmly welcomed should they chose to visit Malvern, England. The fund's address is: PCC Tower Fund, 134 Longridge Road, Malvern, Worcestershire WR144JJ, Great Britain.
