FRIENDS OF BURFORD CHURCH
The panel shows the Last Supper. Photo credit: Pete Gould
One of the treasures of Burford parish church is the south transept window designed by Christopher Whall, the leading stained glass artist of the Arts and Crafts movement. It depicts scenes from the life of St John the Evangelist. The church has now acquired a touchscreen which enables visitors to the church to view the window in more detail and to learn more about it. The system has been created by experts from the Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture at York University and paid for by the Friends of Burford Church with the help of a generous grant from the Greening Trust. Some cathedrals have similar displays but we are not aware of any others in parish churches. Via the screen it is possible to see close-ups of the various panels of the windows from photographs taken by Pete Gould and Derek Cotterill, read about what they depict, understand the significance of the stories to Christians and find out more about stained glass and the window’s designer.
The Friends of Burford Church, founded in 1946, is committed to supporting the Parochial Church Council with the following objectives:
To undertake improvements that do not come within the normal scope of funds for the maintenance of the fabric of the church building.
To help with grants towards other essential work in the church, or churchyard, which in the opinion of the Friends, could not otherwise be undertaken.
To unite those who love and value Burford Church in a Company of Friends.
The President is the Rev'd Tom Putt (Vicar), the Chairman is the Rev'd Cedric Reavley, the acting Secretary is Mr Stephen Price, and the Treasurer is Mr Clive Fieth.
Over the years the Friends have done much to fulfill its objective, including the provision of comfortable chairs for the congregation and the restoration of the Jacobean table that now serves as the nave communion table. In 2011 the Friends commissioned a red brocade frontal for the High Altar, which was made by a member of the church and in 2013 they replaced the eight badly worn 20-year-old bell ropes. The Friends’ project to create a ‘quiet space’ by glassing in the North Transept was completed in 2015 and is called ‘The Chapel of the Holy Spirit’. We paid for a second prayer desk for the clergy in 2017. Our recent project has been the casting of the statue of “A Proud Father”, which stands on the south side of the altar in The Lady Chapel. The original was made by local artist Ginny Coates who sadly died at an early age in 2010. It depicts a delighted father swinging a small child in the air.
The funds for the work of the Friends are raised through subscriptions and donations, and from the sale of items on the Friends’ stand at the south door of the church. These include postcards, an attractive range of illustrated guides to the church, and leaflets including those on the Levellers and the church bells.
Membership of the Friends extends across the globe and all receive an annual Newsletter and an invitation to the AGM held in November.
Anyone interested in our lovely "paragon of the English parish church" is welcome to join the Friends. Life membership is £40. The Friends of Burford Church Book stands as a timeless record of the names of all members, dating back to the very first members nearly 70 years ago.
If you would like to join the Friends, please contact the Secretary or the Treasurer via the Church Office on (01993) 823788 . You can also download the application form below.