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Friends of Friendless Churches

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Friends of Friendless Churches

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Friends of Friendless Churches, Nonprofit Organization, 70 Cowcross Street, London.

Our ‘A Victorian Revival match-funding campaign’ aims to save two historic churches in Lincolnshire and Carmarthenshire
These churches are at risk of being lost forever
Support our match-funding now, and every £ given will be matched by our generous donor

05/10/2026

For St Tyfi's, Llandyfeisant the past 65 years has been chequered, with some highs, but a lot of lows. Now, in 2026, this church is officially designated as ‘At Risk’, however, we are determined to save it.

Located in Dinefwr in Carmarthenshire, the church was essentially the family church of the Lords of Dynevor until the mid-20th century, when the church closed and the Lords of Dynevor had to sell the nearby Newton House. When St Tyfi's church closed in 1961, its font and stained-glass window war memorial were removed and placed inside St Teilo’s church in nearby Llandeilo for safekeeping.

By the 1980s, the church had fallen into a state of near dereliction but was restored with the help of unemployed labour from the Manpower Services Commission and then, in the late 80s, it opened briefly as an information centre and shop. Since then, St Tyfi’s has been supported by an indefatigable group of four local men. However, the repair needs are mounting and their hope of being able organise and finance the repairs is moving ever further out of reach. The church is suffering from severe decay of the roof timbers, invasive vegetation and defective drainage. But the insistently cheerfulness bunting strung from the wall plates has for us become a symbol defiance.

We want to work with this local group and take this hidden church into our ownership in order to repair it and make it safe for people to use and enjoy for decades to come. However, if we are to undertake all the repairs that are necessary at St Tyfi’s, we would be looking at a bill somewhere in the region of £650,000.

Thus, we hope to raise the money necessary to be able to restore St Tyfi’s, Llandyfeisant, along with St Helen’s, Biscathorpe in Lincolnshire, through our ‘A Victorian Revival’ match funding campaign. Please follow this link to find out more and support our work :https://friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk/news/match-funding/

02/10/2026

This year’s Christmas cards are now available to purchase and we have two designs for you to choose from. From our Welsh churches, we have selected a photograph of St Anno’s, Llananno covered in a gentle dusting of snow.

Meanwhile, from our English churches, we have an image of glowing stained glass at St Vigor’s, Stratton-on-the-Fosse in Somerset, which is currently in the process of being vested in our care.

The cards read “Happy Christmas! Nadolig Llawen!” inside. Each pack of eight cards costs just £6+ P&P (UK). International shipping is available only by calling the Charity Cards office at +44(0)1934522920.

Every pack sold directly supports our work caring for over 70 churches, 365 days a year. Please follow this link to order your cards today: https://friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk/news/our-christmas-cards-are-now-ready-to-order/

30/09/2026

Biddlestone Roman Catholic Chapel in Northumberland will be open for visitors between 10am and 4pm on Saturday October 3rd

28/09/2026

The talented organist Ben Maton recently visited St Mary of the Angels', Brownshill, Gloucestershire and played JS Bach’s Prelude in C Major arranged for the analogue modelling synthesiser.

In the video, Ben commented upon “how beautifully and blissfully Bach’s Prelude shimmers within the surroundings of St Mary’s chapel”.

Ben Maton then innovates on Bach’s Prelude using an arpeggiator on his synthesiser and completes his video with a full performance of Ave Maria.

To hear that wonderful composition and learn more about St Mary’s chapel, please follow the link to Ben’s video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVRNBnJo3fs

26/09/2026

In our director’s new book, Church Crawling, she writes about several churches in our care and our members will get an opportunity to hear more about those churches and the book more generally in an exclusive online talk.

In Church Crawling: The Secret Lives and Hidden Stories of England’s Churches, Rachel Morley highlights eight of our churches, including Ayshford Chapel; St Mary Magdalene's, Caldecote; St Andrew's, South Huish; and St Andrew's, Wood Walton.

The term ‘Church Crawling’ was coined by John Betjeman, who was one of the original friends in the room when the Friends of Friendless Churches was founded back in 1957.

Next month, Rachel will be giving an online talk to our members about her book. This will be an event exclusively for FoFC members and, therefore, if you aren’t a member then there’s still time to join.

Please follow this link to become a member today:
https://friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk/become-a-friend/

Then, to sign up for Rachel’s members-only online talk on Thursday, 15 October, please follow this link:
https://friendsoffriendlesschurches.beaconforms.com/form/f95bf349

Images:
1 & 2 - Ayshford Chapel, Devon
3 & 4 - St Mary Magdalene's, Caldecote, Hertfordshire
5 & 6 - St Andrew's, South Huish, Devon & Alabaster from church
7 & 8 - St Andrew's, Wood Walton, Cambridgeshire © Adrian Powter
9 & 10 - Church Crawling Book

24/09/2026

“It is a delicate and fascinating work of architecture and a remarkable survival [but] urgent repairs are clearly now required”.

This is what Griff Rhys Jones, President of the Victorian Society, said about St Helen’s, Biscathorpe - the lonely Lincolnshire church that we are trying to save with our ‘Victorian Revival’ match funding campaign. St Helen’s is a stunning example of Gothic Revival architecture, designed by local Lincolnshire architect W. A. Nicholson, and built in the 1840s. The architectural highlight of the church is its sumptuous steeple, peppered with crocketted pinnacles and ghoulish grotesques.

However, having been neglected for many years, this charming historic church has ended up in a terribly sad state, with the ceilings close collapse, significant water ingresses, cracked and blown external render, and structural movement. Accordingly, St Helen’s is one of the most endangered Victorian buildings in England, being at immediate risk of further deterioration if vital repairs cannot be undertaken. Therefore, Griff Rhys Jones has argued that “in the longer term, a sensitive new use for it is needed, one that preserves the lovely and largely intact interior and its original suite of furnishings."

Thankfully, we have the opportunity to rescue St Helen’s, Biscathorpe - along with St Tyfi’s, Llandyfeisant in Carmarthenshire - through our ‘Victorian Revival’ match funding campaign. The combined repair bill for these two churches will be in excess of £1 million. Thus, we are delighted that this year, a generous donor has agreed to make your support go twice as far, matching every pound you give, pound for pound, up to £500,000. Therefore, if you’d like to find out more about these two wonderful Victorian churches and support our work, then please follow this link to our website: https://friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk/news/match-funding/

22/09/2026

Over 50 years ago, we rescued the church of St Mary's, Mundon from dereliction, saving this curious medieval structures and its beautiful array wall paintings for future generations.

Located deep in the Essex countryside, not far from Maldon, St Mary’s is a charming historic church, with a 14th-century nave and an 18th-century red brick chancel. The most intriguing architectural feature of St Mary’s is the curious double-storied Tudor tower west tower, with its lower stage wrapped in a timber-framed skirt.

In 2009, we uncovered some medieval wall paintings inside St Mary’s that depict the martyrdom of Edmund, King of the East Angles, who was once regarded as a patron saint of England. However, these are far from the only wall paintings inside St Mary’s as the east wall of the church has 18th-century Baroque trompe l’oeil paintings of tassels and heavy curtains being drawn aside. Also, above on the wooden tympanum above the chancel arch is another form of painted decoration, an inscription which reads ‘Behold the Lamb of God’. This painted text dates from the 19th century, contemporary with all the lovely box pews that fill the nave.

During the Second World War, a stray V2 rocket hit this rural Essex church, leaving it a "scene of broken desolation and chaos" until it was repaired in the late 1940s. However, by 1970s, St Mary’s fell into dereliction and became a target for vandals. Then, in 1975, we stepped in and saved this charming historic church.

If you'd like to find out more about St Mary's, Mundon - and other churches in our care - then please follow the link below to our new 'Church Guides' webpage: https://friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk/church-guides/

20/09/2026

Next Sunday is Harvest Festival and, accordingly, three of the historic places of worship in our care will be hosting Harvest Services.

In the UK, the Harvest Festival is traditionally celebrated on the Sunday nearest the Harvest Moon, which is the full Moon that occurs closest to the Autumn Equinox. Although Harvest Festivals are believed to have a long historical lineage, the modern celebrations that are still held today originated in Cornwall in the early Victorian era. In 1843, the Reverend Robert Hawker of Morwenstow inaugurated the Harvest Festival Service, setting an example that has become a general observance throughout the Anglican Church and beyond.

The celebrations include signing hymns of thanksgiving for the harvest and decorating churches with baskets of fruits and vegetables from that year’s harvest. In comparison to the North American tradition of Thanksgiving, the Harvest Festival in the United Kingdom isn’t a public holiday.

The three historic places of worship in our care that will be hosting Harvest Services are St Deiniol's, Worthenbury; Cote Baptist Chapel, Oxfordshire; and the Chapel of Ease, Thornton-le-Beans in Yorkshire. For more information about these services, please follow this link to our events pages: https://friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk/upcoming-events/

Images:
Cote Baptist Chapel
Thornton-le-Beans

16/09/2026

The stained glass in the east window of St Cynhaearn's, Ynyscynhaearn glistens like a jewel and adds a splash of vibrant colour to the otherwise somber interior of this late Georgian estate church.

This marvellous stained glass window was produced at the turn of the 20th century by Powell & Sons, one of the major stained glass firms of the Victorian age, and was erected by Louisa Mary Williams in memory of her father, mother, and brother. The upper half of the window depicts Christ in Majesty, flanked by musical angels floating on a cloud amongst the starry firmament, and below there is a charming Nativity scene. Powell & Sons also produced the other stained glass window inside St Cynhaearn’s. Located in the north transept, the window shows St Cynhaearn and St David.

Another hint of colour inside St Cynhaearn’s can be found rather unexpectedly on the sanctuary step - between the altar and the pulpit. Faded and worn, black quatrefoils and bands of tricolour stripes decorate this section of the church’s cold and grey stone floor. Its interesting how this subtle piece of decoration so perfectly complements its surroundings: the black quatrefoils matching those that feature on the altar rails, while the red, white, and blue colour scheme harmonises with those same tones in the Powell & Sons window above.

13/09/2026

11th September was the feast day of St Deiniol to whom the handsome Georgian church at Worthenbury is dedicated. Last year we were able to repair St Deiniol, Worthenbury thanks to the support of our members and donors.

Before we explore our repair project at St Deiniol’s church, let us uncover who St Deiniol was and why Worthenbury church is dedicated to him. Often Anglicised as Daniel, Deiniol was an influential holy man in 6th century Wales. In 525, he is said to have established a religious institution - somewhere between a college and monastery - at Bangor in Gwynedd. Therefore, Deiniol is often regarded as the first Bishop of Bangor, having been appointed and consecrated by St David, the patron saint of Wales, according to the legends.

Towards the end of his life, Deiniol is said to have founded another monastery — a daughter house — at Bangor-is-y-coed, in what is now Wrexham County Borough. Until the 17th century, Worthenbury was a parochial chapelry within the parish of Bangor-is-y-coed. As such, Worthenbury’s mother church was the direct successor of the great monastery that may have been founded by St Deiniol. This connection — through Bangor-is-y-coed — to the 6th-century Gwynedd-based saint perhaps explains why Worthenbury church is dedicated to St Deiniol. When Worthenbury church was rebuilt in the 18th century from red brick and Cefn-Mawr sandstone, the dedication to this ancient Welsh saint was retained.

Sadly, St Deiniol’s church closed a few years ago and was transferred into our care. In 2025, we carried out a comprehensive repair project to this glorious Georgian building. Internally, we restored the walls to their original buff stone colour, complementing this with a sympathetic palate for the ceiling and cornices. Externally, the repairs mainly concentrated on high level masonry, the removal of concrete elements and plant growth, and localised repointing of the precise Georgian brickwork, resolving longstanding issues with water ingress and damp and protecting its stunning interior.

St Deiniol’s, Worthenbury, Wrexham was one of the four churches that we repaired with the funds raised during our 2024-25 match funding campaign. Now, in 2026, we are trying to raise money to repair two more churches, with our ‘A Victorian Revival’ match funding campaign.

Please follow the link below to find out more and support our work: https://friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk/news/match-funding/

Address

70 Cowcross Street
London
EC1M6EG

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5:30pm
Tuesday	9am - 5:30pm
Wednesday	9am - 5:30pm
Thursday	9am - 5:30pm
Friday	9am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+442045204458

Website

http://www.friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk/

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