THE major £142,000 restoration of an historic Bicester church is now complete.

The project – paid for by the Heritage Lottery Fund – aimed to repair and restore the Grade 1 listed St Edburg’s stonework and drainage after it had become badly damaged and unsafe over many years.

Contractors found much of the stonework was so badly weathered it was “crumbling in their hands” and in many cases they had to completely replace it.

St Edburg’s project manager Ian Cribbes said: “The decorative stonework on the south wall had become unsafe, with the risk of it falling into the church or outwards where the public could be walking past.

“Initially it was planned as restoration work but became repair works because it was just crumbling in their hands.”

The church is thought to be the oldest building in Bicester and according to Mr Cribbes had been listed as having special architectural or historic interest. It is on English Heritage’s at-risk register.

The building’s drainage has now been replaced and the badly damaged areas of stonework taken down and replaced with stone to match the existing stonework.

It is hoped the project will help stop any damp getting into the stone and prevent it from weakening.

Mr Cribbes added: “There is a small carved head that was done by Bil Brown, who aged 82, has been a local stonemason in this area for years.

“He has done lots of work across Oxford. He read about the project in the Oxford Mail and came along to see if he could help.

“He carved the head out of a piece of stone – it is a bit of local interest.”

To celebrate the finished project in Church Street there will be a public event on Saturday, November 28.

The Celebration of Completion ceremony will start at 11am and run until 2pm with a cutting of a celebration cake among residents.

Mr Cribbes said: “Members have had to put up with an awful lot because the south side has had restricted access for the whole of summer.

“So it is a way to thank the church and local community for putting up with us and the trucks coming through.”

There is also a plan to work on the tower as the pinnacles on the top need replacing.