Drayton church welcomes visitors to look at the heritage of the village

St Margaret's Church Drayton (Image: Archant)

St Margaret's Church applied for a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and as part of the process they were asked to reach out to the local community.

The £64,000 fund has been approved and is set to go toward urgent repairs to the church which include a re-thatching of the nave roof and installation of new surface water drains.

Three displays will create the exhibition which is open to visitors from April 18- April 20.

They include 'Drayton weddings through the years', 'Drayton men in World War 1' and 'growth of the village'.

One of the oldest wedding photographs is of Sarah Barrett and Walter Thrower who were married in 1919 and their daughter Daphne was married at the church in 1951.

Sylvia Barwick, church warden and acting treasurer, said: 'The village has grown around the church and its at the heart of Drayton.

'We have had a tremendous response to the exhibition so we are very grateful.'

The warden said Drayton started life as a very small village and it was thought to be one of the pilgrimage routes to Walsingham.

The church has been traced back to 1198 and visitors can still see crosses scratched into the brick work of the building.

Mrs Barwick added the village really began to expand in the 1950s and 60s thanks to R G Carter builders and construction works.

The 72-year-old said: 'We are very much part of the local community and its still a working church.'

The exhibition is open on April 18 from 10.00am to 5.00pm, April 19 at 10.30am there are Songs of Praise and from 1.30pm - 5.00pm the exhibition is open, on April 20 its open from 10.00am to 5.00pm.

Are you celebrating the heritage of your village? Email Sophie.biddle@archant.co.uk