Major renovation of Bradford Church

Work begins this week on a £150,000 renovation scheme at St Chad’s in Bradford which celebrates its centenary next year - and whose parish priest, Canon Ralph Crowe, is the longest serving incumbent in the Bradford Diocese.

The building is impressive in its scale and was built in the form of a Basilica in Byzantine Revival-Romanesque style.

The work will cover roofing, pointing, roof-drainage, renovation to the asphalt coverings to the two massive half domes at the east end of the church, stone erosion and, where necessary, the replacement of lead work with stainless steel. The work will last 20 weeks.

David Rayner, who is co-ordinating the appeal, said: “We're reaching towards a target of £153,189, for which we have had an English Heritage Grant of £63,000. Fund-raising has been continuous for the last 15 months and we're now in sight of that target. Much support has come from charitable bodies, with some support from the Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust and from the Bradford Diocesan Building Fund. We need a final push and we are hoping the public can help us.

“The fabric of St Chad's has not been given a thorough overhaul since it was completed in 1913 partly due to the fact that no proper roof access was originally provided.  It's an impressive building and contains some glorious mosaics - the work of designer Charles Hardgrave and the firm of James Powell and Sons, formerly of Whitefriars glass works in London. These mosaics are presently under threat from water ingress on the east wall.”

St Chad’s Church in the Toller Lane district of Bradford is a centre of Anglo-Catholic worship. 

Photo: Betty Longbottom: http://tinyurl.com/96z2l85