Weeting's St Mary the Virgin Church, on the cover of Elly Griffiths' The Last Remains book, has own story in hunt for restoration

A vicar, a best-selling author and a Thetford bookshop owner have helped to highlight the urgent plight of a Weeting church.

St Mary the Virgin, in Home Lane Close, is on the cover of author Elly Griffiths’ latest and 15th book, The Last Remains, in her highly-popular Dr Ruth Galloway Mysteries series.

But the picturesque building tells a story of its own, including a leaking roof with falling plaster, a porch in disrepair and pews sinking into a mid-19th century crypt.

The Rev Canon Joan Horan, rector at the church for more than 13 years, said: “During prayer at a packed Palm Sunday church service about five years ago there was a loud crack.

“People sitting on the south side pews said they felt the floor drop about two to three inches – it could have been much worse – and since then we have roped that section off.”

Structural issues continued and services, weddings, funerals and the village’s Remembrance Service have not been allowed to take place there since last August.

The rector said it was an emergency situation, but she had been warmed by the community’s fund-raising response. This has included villagers raising £1,300 and Weeting Steam Rally giving church volunteers £900.

On February 1, Elly visited her book cover church during a Norfolk tour, describing it as ‘like stepping into one of my books’.

The author added: “It is such a beautiful place, it was lovely to meet the community here and to find that the church is in need of repair – I am very keen to help keep this church going and to help Reverend Joan.”

The author’s book-signing session at Thetford Library also saw church funds raised.

Owner of the town’s Not Just Books, Jane James, who helped to orchestrate Elly’s visit highlighting the church’s fund-raising, also donated a proportion of event book sales to help.

She said: “It was only right to share some of the proceeds with the church given it features on the cover. Our little bit of community support to thank the support people have given by buying the book from an independent bookshop.”

And with church warden Tommy Saward starting a Repairs for St Mary’s Church, WeetingGoFundMe page, the rector hopes all this will help.

She said: “Finances are still fragile, we will need continued community support and a number of grant bodies on board to get these repairs done, I just hope we can do it.”