WORK has started on a major restoration project which will see the roof on St George's Church, Preshute, repaired to help ensure the future of the building.

The congregation at St George’s, which is on the edge of the town between Manton and before Marlborough College, will see services disrupted over the next eight weeks, but feel that is a small price to pay.

Work has finally started after last April the church applied and received a £66,000 grant from the national Listed Places of Worship Repair Fund. The Rev Miri Keen, vicar of St George’s, in Preshute Lane, said: “It is a blessing that we were awarded the grant. We were amazed, it was fantastic news - the money ensures that the church can keep going for years to come. The church is an important building and this safeguards its future.

“We had to have a number of inspections, such as an analysis carried out to see if there were any bats nesting in there.

"The slates also had to be sent off and analysed to see what the church needed for the repairs to be carried out.”

Gerry Lynch, of the Diocese of Salisbury, said the repairs would mean St George’s could look forward to being part of the Marlborough community for many years.

Mr Lynch said: “All grants will help the church and make sure that it will stand for decades to come. This will allow the church to help people in the community with faith and also those without.”

During the building work, the team at St George’s have said that services will continue as usual, with morning prayers taking place at 8am on Mondays and evening prayers at 5.30pm on Thursdays. Contractors Ellis & Co have agreed that work will be carried out as quietly as possible during weekday services, with volunteers from the church to help clean the area on Fridays in preparation for Sunday services. Full details of Sunday services - the main service is always at 10am but there are others on different Sundays in the month - are available on the www.marlboroughanglicanteam.org.uk

Although most of the current church building dates from the Victorian era, after it was rebuilt in 1854, the tower being a well proportioned example of 14th century style, the interior does contain features from previous buildings.

These include the black font just inside the main entrance, which is made from black Tournai marble which is used for only seven other fonts in the country. It is thought to have come from the Chapel at Marlborough Castle, a one-time residence of King John, which fell into disrepair in the 14th century.