Exclusive by Peter Kitchen
Ornamental 17th century silver used during services at a town church is to be sold off to help pay for £150,000 restoration work to the building’s ‘treasured’ east window.
Officials at St Alkmund’s Church have decided to sell a collection of chalices, a plate and flagon and have been given permission by Lichfield Diocese.
It is planned for the silverware to be sold off by auction with Christie’s in London later this year, although it is not yet known how much the collection has been valued at.
The church’s east window is surrounded by scaffolding while investigative work is carried out, but it is believed the restoration will cost around £153,000.
The majority of funding has been pledged by English Heritage, but church members will have to raise a minimum of £57,000 to unlock the cash.
The east window is referred to as a ‘national treasure’ on the church’s website, and has enamel painted by Francis Eginton of Birmingham in 1795 based on the 17th century painting The Assumption of the Virgin by Guido Reni.
A number of fundraising initiatives are being carried out to preserve the window, and earlier this year the Rev. Richard Hayes completed a 100-mile walk in Nijmegen, Holland, to raise more than £5,000 for the project.
Andrew Cross, treasurer at St Alkmund’s Church, said: “Selling the silver is one aspect of our fundraising campaign. Certainly we have the authority to sell it and it’s possible it will be sold by Christie’s in London.
“We don’t know the value but we are hoping it will be sold later this year.
“Work on the windows has been on-going since 2003, and the scaffolding is up for investigative work to be carried out on the east window.”
Gavin Drake, Lichfield diocesan press spokesman, said: “The Diocese’s solicitor has confirmed permission has been granted to sell the silverware, although conditions were attached to the faculty.”
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