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The Order of St Mary

Launch of the Order of St Mary

The statuette of Richard Neville, the 16th Earl of Warwick — aka Warwick the Kingmaker — on the tomb of his father-in-law Richard Beauchamp. It is the only known depiction of Neville to be made in his lifetime.


14 April 2021


A fundraising fellowship is being established to support the £3 million campaign to help restore and safeguard the Collegiate Church of St Mary in Warwick as it approaches its 900th anniversary.


The Order of St Mary will help to provide a regular stream of income to help secure the future of the fabric, ministry, and music of this much-loved county church of Warwickshire for the 21st century.


The Order is being established to coincide with the 550th anniversary year of the death of another significant figure in the church and the town’s story — Richard Neville, the 16th Earl of Warwick who was known as ‘Warwick the Kingmaker’.


Visitors to St Mary’s can see what is thought to be the only depiction of Neville to be made in his lifetime, on the tomb of his father-in-law Richard Beauchamp, the 13th Earl of Warwick.


Membership of The Order of St Mary begins at £500 a year, with a programme of exclusive events and special visits to other places of ecclesiastical, heritage and cultural interest organised for those who join.


The Grade I-Listed Collegiate Church of St Mary can trace its history back to 1123, and there is an urgent need to raise £2million to meet the cost of urgent repairs to the landmark tower to avoid its closure to the public.


The original tower was destroyed in the Great Fire of Warwick in 1694, and was rebuilt between 1700 and 1702. It stands over 155ft high and is visible from miles around, making it a focal point for the town as well as offering spectacular views of the surrounding county.


A further £1million is needed to secure the fabric, music and ministry of the church for the 21st century.

Campaign 2023 aims to raise the majority of the fundraising by 2023, to coincide with St Mary's 900th anniversary.


The Reverend Vaughan Roberts, Vicar of St Mary’s and Team Rector of Warwick, said: “Joining the Order of St Mary will give people locally and nationally a rewarding opportunity to provide ongoing support to our wonderful and historic church on a number of different levels.


“St Mary’s has a significant place in the history of the town of Warwick, the county of Warwickshire, and indeed our country, and has so many stories to tell, including that of Richard Neville, the 16th Earl of Warwick.


“If people know anything about the name Warwick, they will almost certainly know the name Warwick the Kingmaker, by which Neville was known. He was such a power of the land and was closely connected with St Mary's, especially the building of the Beauchamp Chapel, and it is to coincide with his anniversary we have decided to launch the latest element of our fundraising campaign.


“The cost of maintaining our history is substantial and we hope that by establishing the Order of St Mary, and with the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, even more people can get involved in our campaign as they return to a more communal life.”


Find out how to join the Order of St Mary by emailing campaign2023@stmaryswarwick.org.uk.


The Order of St Mary Brochure can be downloaded from here.

by PH969248 12 Feb, 2022
As we look to St Mary’s long-term survival and wellbeing, we invite you to be involved in planning heritage, arts and social activities at the church. We want to ensure that, as the conservation work and future is planned, we understand the view of residents, visitors and those visiting this site.  To help with this, you are asked to take a five-minute survey. Please answer as many questions as you can, but don’t worry if you can’t answer them all. Please click this link: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/StMarysWarwick Thank you. Your help with this is greatly appreciated.
by PH969248 27 Sept, 2021
Inaugural Service for the Order of St Mary has been held in St Mary's Church, Warwick
by PH969248 08 May, 2021
Why we need your help? St Mary’s has reached a critical milestone in her long history and we need your help now to safeguard the future so that we can sustain the church and all it stands for. Without your support achieving this ambition will be that much harder. Our first major challenge is the restoration of the historic tower which dominates the views from far and wide. We need to raise £2 million to ensure this work is completed to the highest standard of workmanship and make the building safe for visitors to the town as well as local people. Unlike our museums and heritage sites, St Mary’s receives no government funding. We, as custodians of the church, steward our resources very carefully, but without external grants and funding, and without donations big and small from individuals, we could not carry out the important work of conservation and restoration that you can see around you. Neither could we continue our music and outreach work without the benefit of philanthropic income. Important to everyone If St Mary’s didn’t exist, there would be a huge gap in the town’s spiritual heart, its heritage and culture. We need your help to deliver on our plans, to ensure that this historic church remains open and accessible to everyone and to enable our outreach programme to thrive. We are establishing the Order of St Mary as part of Campaign2023 to ensure the sustainability of the church, to enable people who are passionate about St Mary’s to come together to support our church at various levels and ensure our music, fabric and ministry can continue for future generations to enjoy. How we thank you for supporting us Members of the Order of St Mary enjoy: The chance to meet like-minded people An annual service and reception Invitations to private events within St Mary’s and trips to places of national interest Members’ Newsletter and regular updates on the campaign Join today Bronze Order Membership is £500 a year and entitles you to attend the speakers programme, the Summer Garden Party and the Annual Order Service. Membership can be paid by cheque, Standing Order, debit or credit card, or Direct Debit. You can pay in any of the following ways: Annually - £500 per annum Quarterly - £125.00 per quarter Monthly - £41.66 per month If you are a UK taxpayer you can increase the value of your subscription by 25% at no extra cost to yourself, simply by making your donation via Gift Aid. If you wish to give a larger annual donation for £1,000 per annum to entitle you to Silver Order Membership, you will receive all of the above benefits, plus invitations to meet key speakers at event receptions in the Beauchamp Chapel. Silver Membership also includes recognition on the donor board. Gold Order membership of a one-off payment of £5,000 will entitle you to all the above plus our Annual Dinner with our Campaign Patron. You will also be given the opportunity to have your support recognised in the form of a dedicated campaign chair that can be named after yourself or someone else who you would like to remember. Please contact the Campaign Office for further details campaign2023@stmaryswarwick.org.uk How to join the Order of St Mary Further information can be found in our brochure which you can download from here. Press the Donate Button and ensure that St Mary’s is here for future generations Questions If you have any questions, please contact the Campaign Office on campaign2023@stmaryswarwick.org.uk
Launch of St Marys Warwick Campaign 2023
by Alison Swan 18 Nov, 2020
St Mary's launches Campaign 2023 to raise £3 million
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