ST MATTHEW'S CE PARISH CHURCH, RASTRICK
The Project at St Matthew’s, Parish Church of Rastrick centred around the restoration of a handsome Georgian Church to its former glory, and to provide, at the same time new facilities within the envelope of the structure, to meet up to date social and liturgical requirements.
The work to take place involved; a re-ordering of the Sanctuary, including the removal of an elevated Victorian pulpit, and the installation of a Baptistry, the provision of new sacristans and vestry accommodation, and new toilet facilities and drainage, provision of a new meeting room, provision of a new kitchenette and servery, the relighting and rewiring of the building and the design of chandeliers, redecoration and a new colour scheme and the restoration of the external masonry.
As the building was listed the whole of the works could not be carried out without the approval of several separate statutory authorities. These included the following:
• The Parish Church Council of St Matthew
• English Heritage
• The Georgian Group
• The Victorian Society
• The Conservation Officer of the Kirklees and Calderdale Councilv
• The Diocesan Chancellor
• The Wakefield Diocesan Advisory Committee
The full restoration of the external masonry forms Phase 2 of the project.
Detailed drawings and specifications have been drawn up for this work which involves the repair of layered ashlar masonry, and a great deal of decaying classical detail. The Mediterranean origins of this have proved to be less than ideal, in the wild wet weather of the Yorkshire Pennines, and so substantial extra protection is included in the specification and detailing.