THE Friends of All Saints Parish Church group is looking to recruit some new members as the church looks to rectify significant damp on internal walls.

The Friends group raises money for the church to help with its upkeep. Its values are to ‘maintain, repair, restore, preserve, improve, beautify and reconstruct for the greater glory of God, the fabric of the parish church of All Saints Okehampton.’

George Ware, chairman of the Friends group, said: ‘The church is sincerely there for everyone in the community, and we need to preserve it for future generations needing a wonderful church for weddings and christenings, and more.

‘The maintenance of a large and ancient building is a big responsibility. Members of the regular congregation have worked hard and given generously but the church is here for the whole community.

‘You may not necessarily wish to attend church every Sunday but still want the church to be here, to be preserved, improved and passed on to the next generation. If so, this scheme is for you.’

The church is hoping to recruit new members to help fight the damp affecting the church. Last year, a section of the ceiling fell down in the church. When an article on the damage went in the Times, several generous donors came forward to help pay for the work.

A church has stood on the site of All Saints since the earliest days of Christianity in Britain, when the Saxon village of Ocmundtune stood where Okehampton stands now. Around the time Okehampton Castle was being built, a new Norman church was also being built at All Saints. It was enlarged in 1261, the first recorded consecration of the site.

It was further enlarged in 1447, but the granite tower is all that remains after the rest of the building was destroyed by fire in 1842. The church that stands today is thought to be the fifth on the site.

If you would like to help the Friends group in any way, e-mail George Ware on [email protected]