Story

There has been a church in Hibaldstow since at least the 13th Century. However by the mid 1800's the previous church was in poor condition and falling down. The east end, around the alter, was rebuild in 1866. Plans were then put in place to shore up the tower and retain that whilst the central body of the church was rebuilt. Unfortunately this plan didn't succeed and the tower collapsed in 1875 during the work. The rebuilding of the main part of the church was completed, but there wasn't the money to rebuild the tower at this time. The bells were hung in a wooden shed at the west end of the church! It took nearly 100 years for the funds to become available to rebuild the tower. The current tower was build in 1958. Today's issues really date back to the towers construction; When the tower was built there were no tie bars used to tie the internal wall to the external wall. As a result, over the years the blocks have moved gradually and parts of the tower are becoming a safety concern. Whilst not obvious from a distance, if you look closely many cracks can be seen between the blocks, especially on the south and west sides. That is what the current work is trying to correct. The work will probably take until well into the autumn to complete. The good news is that the tower will be returned to it's former glory. The bad news is that the work is costing over £27,000. St. Hybald’s Church is responsible for its own upkeep, we do not get any funding from the Government or the Church of England or any other organisation. Every broken tile, blocked gutter, faulty radiator, insurance and public utilities, has to be paid for by St. Hybald’s Church itself. The church is a Grade II listed building so we have a responsibility to maintain it in good order and maintenance of historic buildings doesn't come cheap. We are seeking grants to help cover some of the repair costs, but they are unlikely to cover the entire cost. Even if you don't attend the church, perhaps you love having the building at the heart of our community. Perhaps you have fond memories of events in the church. Perhaps you would like to make a donation towards the repair of the tower..........