St Andrew's Church in Mickfield dates back 700 years, but declining congregations and the deteriorating condition of the building led to its closure in 1975.

Now undergoing extensive repair work it will re-open as a Christian centre with training and conference facilities.

The work is being undertaken by The Suffolk Architectural Heritage Trust, who acquired the building a year ago.

They are carrying out the project with substantial grant aid from English Heritage and also with the help of the Architectural Heritage Fund.

History
St Andrew's church dates from around 1310 when the tower was added to the Saxon church, which had stood on the site since the early 11th century.

The church was subsequently enlarged in the 14th and 15th centuries to its present form.

The Grade 1 Listed building was made redundant in 1975.

After standing unused for over a decade, the building was sold for housing in 1989, but the conversion never took place.

Thieves and vandals reduced the church to near dereliction but the District Council stepped in and undertook essential repairs.

Meanwhile, the churchyard became overgrown, with some saplings higher than the church itself, and brambles making access very difficult.

Restoration
Now, with the churchyard cleared and the tower clad in scaffolding, repair work can begin on the historic structure.

This is being undertaken by R & J Hogg Ltd, from Coney Weston, in north Suffolk, a firm that specialises in repairs to historic buildings.

The repairs will be comprehensive and include repointing of much of the external flintwork; a new roof; replacement of all windows, including some of the surrounding stonework; and the stabilisation of the tower.

The inside of the church had been stripped and vandalised but the repair programme will include the restoration of the chancel floor. Architects for the project are Nicholas Jacob Architects, based in Ipswich.

The future
Upon completion of the repair of the historic shell, scheduled for the end of September, it will be acquired for the Anglia Church Trust, a new charity set up for the purpose, which will run it as a Christian Centre.

The church will then be restored as the spiritual heart of the Mickfield community, a parish of just over 80 houses and about 200 inhabitants.

It will also seek a wider role as a retreat, training and conference centre for use within the Diocese and beyond. It may also become a local centre for Franciscans.