Font sale could help save church

The font was designed by architect William Burges 1827-1881)

A Somerset church which is in urgent need of repair and restoration has put its Victorian font up for sale.

St Peter's church at Draycott which needs £170,000 for repairs is to offer the font to museums for £110,000.

If not sold within six months the church said the font would be put up for public auction.

The Reverend Stanley Price said the sale was made with regret. "Without the repairs the church would close anyway. We're not letting that happen."

'Diocese petitioned'

The parish priest added: "It is with regret that we are having to sell this beautiful work of art but we need the money to ensure the church's future and to continue its ministry of service to the whole community."

"If we don't repair the church the likelihood is it will close and then the font will be lost anyway.

"We are a forward-looking church and the sale of a piece of our past will guarantee the work of the church in the future," he said.

The proposal to sell the font was originally made 18 months ago and was opposed by the Victorian Society, the Diocesan Advisory Committee and the Council for the Care of Churches.

But the church petitioned the chancellor of the Diocese of Bath and Wells, Timothy J Briden who ruled in favour of St Peter's.

'Public auction'

The church must offer the font for sale to museums first to try to keep it in the public domain.

If no museum is prepared to buy it the parochial church council may offer it for sale by public auction .

The font was designed by architect William Burges (1827-1881) and has been in the church since it was opened in 1861.

The authorship of the font was unknown until two years ago, when a researcher into the works of Burges, traced it to St Peter's Church in Draycott and offered to buy it.