Derbyshire church's 13th century stained glass windows will be restored to former glory under £179,541 project funded by National Lottery players

The windows in the Grade I listed Dronfield Parish Church have suffered major pigment loss since they were partly conserved in the 1970s and 1980s in an operation that included protecting them with Perspex which masked their true colour.

Three windows containing medieval glass will be professionally conserved and the Perspex removed. The project will include additional minor repairs to some of the church’s Victorian windows to make them weather resistant.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund grant will also fund research into the church’s history and the development of interpretation material to open up the building’s fascinating past to a wider audience.

Volunteers will be recruited and trained to give guided tours to visitors as part of the project. In addition to tours, open days and special events, the project will include the creation of interpretation material to help people learn about the windows and why they are such a valuable cultural and historical asset.

Schools and community groups will be involved and the windows used to help pupils learn about art and art history. When the conservation project is complete, there will be a celebration event for the community.

Sue Murphy, project co-ordinator, said: “We’re delighted that we’ve received this support thanks to National Lottery players. Dronfield Parish Church has been at the centre of life in the town and a wonderful resource for the whole community for nearly a thousand years. Its 13th century stained glass has stood the test of time but the panels are in now in real need of some conservation work. This grant will enable us to restore them to their former glory and become an amazing cultural asset in the town once again. This far reaching project also allows us to explore the fascinating history of the church heritage and allow members of the public and scores of schools to become a part of it.”

The project will also fund additional minor repairs to some of the church’s Victorian windows to make them weather resistant.