Several refurbishments have been undertaken …
1850 Carlops Church opened
1899-1902 Interior refurbished
1960-64 Interior repair and refurnishing; present organ acquired
1990-91 Partial refurbishment of interior; replacement of some pews
2004-05 New vestry-kitchen built to rear of church
2008-09 Extensive refurbishment and refurnishing to create the church of today
The 2008-09 project was comprehensive: new heating, lighting and furnishings; complete redecoration; restoration of the organ; new decorative window. It created a space to serve the whole community, suitable both for worship, and a range of activities including concerts, talks and exhibitions. It was achieved by the congregation with whole-hearted support from the Carlops community. Recent experience demonstrates that the refurbished building is valued throughout the parish and has brought congregation and community closer together.
Architectural and decorative information about the early Carlops Church is not readily available (material may exist in private hands). The gallery below includes photographs of the church before its most recent refurbishment in 2008-09 and, of course, of the church as it is in 2020.
We have kept our promise to make the church building work hard for the whole of Carlops. In addition to regular worship and occasional special services, it hosts an open event of some sort at about three times a month – concerts, lunches, recitals, workshops, talks, discussions, flower festivals.
In March 2019, we marked the tenth anniversary of this refurbishment with two special services and a party.
Service led by Rev Stewart McPherson on 24 March 2019
Service designed and led by Andy Armstrong, Laura Armstrong and Julie Gamble on 31 March 2019
Music composed and played by Murray Campbell for that service
The gallery below contains images of the church before, during and after the 2008-09 refurbishment.
