The Friends, in partnership with the Parochial Church Council, is committed to bringing new life and purpose to Ross-on-Wye’s oldest and most important building.

St Mary’s Church, often described as the jewel in the Ross crown, is already a lively centre for Christian worship. Much work has taken place recently to make much more of an accessible centre for the whole community. Many of these projects have contributed to that.

Improvement and extension to the nave platform – 2024

The “stage” at the top of the nave was installed in the 1980s mainly to accommodate changing liturgical fashions. it just about managed to do that but as a performance stage was not much use for more than a few people. We have extended it and finishing it in light oak, to match other areas of flooring.

Again we are most grateful to our funders: Herefordshire Historic Churches Trust (£5,000), Edward Cadbury Charitable Trust (£3,000), William Allen Young Charitable Trust (£5,000) and Ross-on-Wye Town Council (£1,000). The Friends of St Mary’s have also contributed £2,000.

AV installation – 2023

The professional installation of a 3.5 metre screen (neatly hidden behind the chancel arch) and a very powerful laser projector, (right at the back of the nave) now means that St Mary’s is fully equipped to sustain a much greater range of community events. Money was raised through grant applications. We are grateful to Awards for all – The National Lottery (£7,300) The Benefact Trust (£2,100), The Rowlands Trust (£5,000), The Friends of St Mary’s contributed the remaining £6,000 from their own resources.

New sound system 2022

It has been apparent for some time that the sound system that was installed in the 1980s is no longer fit for purpose, especially given the much changed acoustic in the nave following reordering. A new system was installed in September 2022.

High Altar Reredos – 2021

An unsightly patch of plaster has been behind the high altar for decades; a taller but narrower altar than the present one once stood against the wall. The Friends commissioned from Ross photographer Philip Price a photographic representation of the rather good late Victorian stone screen on either side and filled the gap.

Exhibition Stands 2020

Having created a beautiful display space the church needed some reasonable quality exhibition stands which the Friends provided.

Church floodlighting 2020

The floodlighting, fitted in  2011 by Ross-on-Wye Town Council was beginning to fail. The old sodium lamps were no longer available, difficult to msitkain and expensive to run; action was needed to replace them.  Research from members of the Friends has resulted in new LED units being installed (saving the Town Council up to 70% on the running costs and reducing the church’s carbon footprint) with the cost being shared between the Friends and the Town Council.  The new lights include the ability to change colour, used for special occasions.

Reordering 2017 – 2019

The PCC has improved the facilities within the church with a major reordering; installing toilets, a kitchen and children’s room, making the seating flexible and more comfortable and making the whole building more accessible. The Friends has so far contributed £35,000 to support the PCC in the reordering project as well as improvement work on the lighting in the church. You can find out all about reordering the building on the reordering website.

Switching of windows in the north aisle 2016

The glass in two windows at the back of the north aisle was switched as part of the phase 1 work on reordering. This has meant that the stained glass once a part of the Baptistry is still visible now that the new toilets have obscured the opening in which the glass was previously installed. The Friends funded this project at a cost of £10,000

New boiler house 2009

The majority of the fundraising for the task of replacing the ramshackle corrugated iron construction that once was the boiler house with the present stone one was undertaken by the Friends.

Information for visitors 2009

Our welcome to visitors was improved by revising and re-branding information leaflets as well as installing a number of information panels around the building highlighting key features.

Restoration work on the tower and spire – 2007

One of the first tasks faced by the Friends at its inception was to help to raise £200,000 for essential work to repair the tower and spire. £100,000 was contributed,  much of it through grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the National Churches Trust,  Herefordshire Historic Churches Trust, and other charities, and the work was completed in 2010.