WORK has begun on a six-figure restoration of a 400-year-old church porch.
Conservators are repairing the Jacobean North Porch at St Brandon’s Church, in Brancepeth, County Durham.
The £105,000 project was boosted by a £10,000 donation from the National Churches Trust, along with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Struan Trust.
The Grade-I listed church is more than 900 years old and was much enhanced by Rector John Cosin, later Bishop of Durham.
The North Porch was among these 17th century improvements.
Many stunning timber furnishings were sadly destroyed by a major fire in 1998, since when a long repair and rebuilding process has taken place.
On Thursday (October 1), trainee conservators visited the church to discuss the works with builders, architects and stonemasons.
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