Newark Parish Church will close as the over £3m ‘Reawakening of St Mary Magdalene’ project works begin, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund

One of Newark’s most historic landmarks is set to close as it undergoes a year of major restoration works, at the cost of over £3m.

Newark Parish Church, or St Mary Magdelene, is a Grade One listed building, with roots dating back to the 12th century.

For more than eight centuries the church has been a beacon of faith and worship for the people of Newark, surviving the plague, Reformation of the churches, and the English Civil War.

The church as we know it today was completed in the late 15th century, and its spire can be seen from miles around, standing proud at 236ft, and remains the tallest in Nottinghamshire.

The building has become one of national significance, but sadly with age comes a growing list of problems, and the church is currently on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register.

In order to protect this history, from next week work will begin on ‘The Reawakening of St Mary Magdalene’ project, which aims to protect the landmark for future generations, as well as breathe new life into the visitor experience.

Funded by £3,064,126 in grants from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and supported by Historic England, the Church of England, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and other donors, vital repairs will be made to the church, removing it from the ‘at risk’ register.

Led by Thomas Ford & Partners Architects and Alan Staley Building Contractors, the works will include the repair of centuries worth of weather damage, including the replacement of the lead roof with a hard-wearing modern metal alternative.

To help secure an eco-friendly future for the building, 40 solar panels will also be installed on the southern roof, which will hidden from street level, maintaining the historic visual appeal of the church as a whole.

Inside, a new room will be built in the north western corner of the church, which will be used for community activities, workshops and exhibitions, and will be named after the 16th century diplomat and town benefactor, Thomas Magnus.

The south western corner will also be transformed into a café space, with seating and new accessible toilets.

Funding from the Church of England will go towards extending the existing platform in the centre of the church, providing an improved space for worship and performances.

New information panels will be installed, highlighting the history and architecture of the centuries old building, which will enhance the visitor experience.

Project lead, Andrew Fearn, said, “We are excited to break ground on this project, and to contribute to a bright future for St Mary’s and the wider community.

“We are so grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund for making this work possible.”

The final service to be held in the church before the work begins will be during the Remembrance Sunday commemorations this weekend (November 10).

From next week contractors will then move in, and throughout November scaffolding will start to appear around the church.

In the meantime, most services will be relocated including the Sunday Sung Eucharist and Evensong which will be held at the Hope Community Methodist Church on Barnbygate, while Mount Church of England Primary Academy will temporarily host contemporary worship.

A monthly 8am Said Eucharist will continue to be held at St Mary’s in the short term.

Other popular events such as the annual Christmas Tree Festival, which last year featured the most trees ever, will be held at the Buttermarket and Newark Town Hall.

It is hoped that the works will take no longer than a year and that the Parish Church will be able to open again in time for next Christmas’ festivities and services.

A range of engagement activities, including hard hat tours, and talks from experts and professionals will be held throughout the year to keep people up to date and informed about how the works are progressing.

Young people from across the region will also be encouraged to get involved with the project through work experience, apprenticeships, internships, and partnerships with schools, colleges and universities.