Historic church set for major refurbishment

11:15am Sunday 11th May 2008

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THE CHURCH where chartist leader John Frost was married is to undergo a major refurbishment to save it from sinking into the ground.

Rev Canon Henry Davies says the 17th century St David's Church, a grade two listed building, in Bettws, Newport, is in need of a £40,000 face lift.

The church is also hoping to build a new hall, which will require another £40,000.

It will be applying for grants from Cadw and other organisations, as well as conducting its own fundraising.

Currently because of poor foundations one of the church's walls are sinking into the ground, where one wall has a large cracks.

The damage is also causing the floor to shift.

In time, if the refurbishment isn't carried out it is thought the church will be too dangerous to use.

"We're going to underpin the wall to make up for a lack of foundations, which architects say should bring a halt to the sinking," said Canon Davies.

The crack in the wall will also be fixed. Once its stable, the parish will redecorate and re-tile the roof.

In addition the Parish of St David Bettws and Bettws United Reformed Church hope to build a new hall to replace the current portakabin in use.

The Bettws Lane church, located on the edge of the Bettws estate, was originally built in the 13th and 14th century.

It was last rebuilt in the 17th century. John Frost, who led protests for universal suffrage in Newport in the 1830s, was married at the church after he came back from Australia.

It had a large graveyard which diminished in size following the building of the Bettws estate.

To help with fundraising call the Canon on 01633 718657 or visit www.bettws.org.uk.