One of the final projects to be completed in the Revitalising the Minster programme was a repair to the original wooden stand which holds the Parish Chest.
Thomas Cromwell introduced mandatory parish registers in England and Wales in 1538, requiring clergy to record weekly baptisms, marriages, and burials in a secure book which would have been stored in this locked chest.
The chest was moved as part of the building works in the Minster and it was discovered that the stand would need repairs before being able to carry the weight of this historic piece safely.
Griffiths: It seems fitting
Hannah Griffiths, Community Engagement Coordinator, said,
“It seems fitting that one of the final pieces of work to complete the project was the restoration of one of the oldest features in the building.”
Work was carried out by local wood turner Andy Fortune and paid for by the late Paul Gustar as part of his ongoing passion for the history of the church.
News shared by Hannah on behalf of Newport Minster. Ed
