Raising the Roof for Dore Abbey

Please help us save this beautiful and historic Abbey

one roof tile at a time…Patron: Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire, the Dowager Countess of Darnley

Keeping in Touch We would really like to be able to keep in touch and send you updates about our fundraising, events and project progress. Please let us know if you’re also happy to hear from us by Phone , email and post . (Please tick).Holy Trinity & St Mary (Dore Abbey) PCC and the Friends of Dore Abbey will keep your details safe and will not share your details with any other organisations. If you don’t want to hear from us, or change your mind about how we contact you, email doreabbey@gmail.com*If you would like to add additional initials or letters, this can be arranged at an additional £6.00 per letter. Please let us know via email if this is something you would like to discuss or arrange.

Thank you for your support

Your DonationI enclose a donation of £500/ £250/ £100/ £50/ £25

Other £ ………………………………....... All cheques payable to Abbeydore Church Expenses Fund

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If you are sponsoring 4 or more tiles and would like to add a dedication to our supporters book please write it here:

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If you are sponsoring 10 or more tiles and wish for two initials* to be added to one of your tiles please state the initials below, along with any dedication you would like added to our supporters book:

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HEREFORDSHIRE HISTORIC CHURCHES TRUST

Holy Trinity & St Mary (Dore Abbey) Parochial Church Council, together with

the Friends of Dore Abbey are working to raise much needed funds for the replacement of some sections of the roof at Dore Abbey and repairs to the Tower. The Abbey is located in Abbeydore, Herefordshire and was originally established by French Cistercian Monks in 1147.

Why is the Abbey special? The stone building that stands today was started in 1175 and was consecrated by St Thomas Cantilupe in 1280. Dore Abbey was one of the great medieval monasteries of Herefordshire, and today the church is believed to be the finest Cistercian survival in England. Cistercian monks were not academic recluses but were skilled at managing their agricultural lands; in Dore’s case breeding sheep with fine wool.

Part of the monastic church remains in use as the parish church today. Dore Abbey is more than 800 years old in parts and is one of the major examples of Norman and Medieval monastic and church architecture in the country.

The Abbey features the work of John Abel, a Herefordshire born master carpenter. Abel became one of the best-known craftsmen in the kingdom when he witnessed the siege of Hereford during the Civil War, and he helped the city’s Royalist garrison by making mills for corn and gunpowder. Charles I rewarded him with the title of King’s Carpenter in 1645.

Today the building is Grade I listed and the grounds in which it stands are a scheduled ancient monument. Grade I buildings are of exceptional interest. Just 2.5% of listed buildings are Grade I.

The Abbey still plays an important role in the community. It hosts regular services, weddings, christenings and funerals, as well as a range of community and musical events. The building holds a special place in the lives of many people as a result. It is a beautiful, peaceful and unique site to visit, explore and reflect in.

Why do we need your help? Dore Abbey is on Historic England’s buildings ‘At Risk’ register due to the poor and deteriorating state of some of the sections of the roof and the fact that it is beyond the capacity of the small parish of Abbeydore to maintain a building of this size and national importance.

Twenty years ago the Abbey was going to close. This prompted the formation of the Friends of Dore Abbey and the main roof was replaced with a grant from English Heritage.

Now we need to replace the sections of the roof that weren’t repaired at that time; the north and south ambulatory roofs and the tower roof, in order to stop them leaking. We also need to point the stone work on the Tower to stop water seeping into the joints between the stones and causing damage.

How much is needed? We need to raise £590,000 to do this work. We know that this is a huge sum! As the Abbey is Grade I listed, we have to ensure that we replace the existing roof tiles with as close a match as physically possible. In order to meet this requirement, the stone for the roof tiles has to be quarried locally and cut by hand.

The Friends of Dore Abbey have been fundraising for the building for over twenty years and have £100,000 to put towards the project.

We aim to raise between £60,000 and £100,000 through the Raising the Roof campaign and will be applying for grants to make up the remainder of the money needed.

How can you help?

We are asking people to help us raise funds by sponsoring roof tiles at £25.00 each.

● Sponsor 1 roof tile and you will be invited to a community celebration and blessing event for the new roofs once completed.

● Sponsor 4 or more roof tiles and you will be invited to a community celebration and blessing event as above. You will also have your name written in our book of supporters which will be placed in the Church at the end of the project. You can send us a written dedication should you wish to add one.

● Sponsor 10 or more roof tiles and you will receive all the benefits listed above and the opportunity to have one of your tiles engraved with the initials of your choosing. This could be your own initials or the initials of a loved one.

● Sponsor 20 tiles and more and you receive all the benefits listed above along with an invitation to our patrons’ event(s).

What will we do with your money?

Every pound given to this campaign will be used to fund the restoration works required.

Ways to give:● Cash or cheque donations can be made payable to: Abbeydore Church Expenses Fund and sent to Richard Lloyd (Treasurer), Upper Jury Farm, Wormbridge, Herefordshire, HR2 9EE, along with the slip overleaf. Alternatively, you can place your donation in the donation box inside the Abbey. ● Online donations can be made via our Just Giving page; this also gives you the option to add gift aid if you are a UK tax payer. Go to www.justgiving.com/ campaign/doreabbey

What is Gift Aid? Gift Aid allows UK charities to claim back the basic rate tax already paid on donations by the donor. This means we can claim back from the government on your behalf 25p for every £1 donated, boosting the value of the donation by a quarter.

Gift Aid Declaration

I am a UK taxpayer and I would like Holy Trinity & St Mary (Dore Abbey) PCC to treat this donation and any donations I make in the future and have made in the past 4 years as Gift Aid donations, until I notify you otherwise.

I understand that if I pay less Income Tax and / or Capital Gains Tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all my donations in that tax year it is my responsibility to pay any difference. I understand that Holy Trinity & St Mary (Dore Abbey) PCC will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 that I give.

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