As of February 2023, you have helped us to raise a total of c£95,000.

This has covered the project costs to date, with a little bit to spare – but we have a long way to go – as much as £300,000 (see below) We would like to say a big thank you to the organisations and individuals who have contributed to this fantastic effort:

• The many individuals, named and anonymous, who have contributed amounts large and small
• The Historic Chapels Trust, for allocating its restricted ‘Walpole’ funds to this project
• The Friends of Walpole Old Chapel, for allocating its ‘legacy’ funds to the project
• Historic England, who funded the RIBA stage 4 investigatory works
• Heveningham Hall Country Fair Trust, who provided the very first donation to get the project under way
• The Stuart Heath Charitable Settlement
• The Alfred Williams Charitable Trust
• The Golden Charitable Trust
• Rosedale Funeral Home
• Hetty’s Little Copy Shop
• Emmanuel College, Cambridge
• Flagship Housing
• Suffolk County Council
• The Doric Charitable Trust

The exterior render of the building is failing. Incorrect materials have been used in repairs over the last 50 years. There is now a significant risk to the timber structure of the building. A survey in 2017 established that remedial works would never solve this problem, and replacement of the render is the only long-term solution to preserve the Chapel for the future.

All the old render needs to be taken off, unwrapping the structure. This will reveal the timber frame and allow necessary repairs to be carried out. The building will then be re-rendered in traditional materials by experts. The timber frame is of great interest and there is much to learn from its construction and adaptation over time. The project will offer visitors the opportunity to see traditional craft techniques and materials in action. As we unwrap the building’s physical fabric, we also hope to reveal the social history of the Chapel and its communities over the centuries through our ‘Discovery’ project.

Who is Involved?
This project is being delivered, with your help, through a partnership between the national and local custodians of the Chapel:

• The Historic Chapels Trust (HCT), with the support of the Churches Conservation Trust (CCT) and the Friends of Walpole Old Chapel.
• Ptolemy Dean Architects..
• Historic England is closely involved as statutory consultee to the planning and Listed Buildings processes.
• The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB)

Progress to date

As of February 2023, we are in pre-application discussions with East Suffolk Council about the details of our application for Listed Buildings Consent for the work (technically RIBA stage 4). These discussions informed by the findings of ‘investigatory’ work carried out over the winter involved removing 12 sample areas of render to assess the state of the timber frame underneath. We aim to provide frequent project updates on our News page.

The cost
We don’t yet have a final estimate for the repair and conservation work - it could well be over £300,000. Our major fundraising campaign continues. Whilst the repair and conservation of the building is vital, it is not the only factor that is important to the sustainability of the Chapel, and two other possible developments have now been added to the scope of the project which, if realised, will add to its overall cost.

• We are in discussions about acquiring some land to improve car parking.
• We are examining the feasibility of creating a small ‘visitor centre’ which would act as a display area, helping to preserve the unique experience of being in the Chapel’s interior.

We have also engaged an experienced fundraising consultant in the heritage sector.

Thank you for your continued help