VOLUNTEERS could help to identify people whose names were carved on a Wallingford church wall centuries ago.

St Peter’s Church in Thames Street is a Grade II-listed Anglican church and it is one of the first buildings people see when they approach the town from Wallingford Bridge.

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One of the carvings

The church no longer has a congregation and in recent years has only been used for special events, including music concerts.

But last year, the Churches Conservation Trust called for volunteers to stage events there more frequently to make better use of the building.

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Now the trust wants to run a project researching the history of signatures on the wall in the tower room and wants volunteers to help with the task.

Trust volunteering officer Ed McGregor said: “Some of the names on the wall date back to the 1700s, and run right through to the 20th century, so this is a long-standing tradition.

“We are trying to find out more about why it was done and who did it – some were painters, bellringers or clock winders but others may have descendants in the town who can provide information.”

Keri Dearmer, a volunteer at St Peter’s, added: “Currently we do not know why these signatures are here, as this room and its unusual wall art have never been documented or researched.

“Our idea is to record these names and to publicise them locally to see if anyone knows these people and can provide any more information about them. We know that some of the doodlers were ‘clock winder-uppers’.”

Ms Dearmer said the walls were made of white-washed bricks and some of the signatures were in pencil or pen, but some had been carved into the wall. She added: “The earliest signature we have found so far is from the mid-18th century, with the most recent being 2003.

“There seem to be a good many inscriptions from 1941 and therefore we think the church might have had a certain role during the Second World War.”

Former mayor and town councillor Theresa Jordan, who lives next to the church, is also working on the project.

She said: “It’s fascinating that there has been this tradition over the centuries – it’s like historical graffiti.

“When you are in the tower room you get a real sense of this secret history of people who did all sorts of things like winding the clocks and ringing the bells.

“It would be lovely if we could find out more.”

The existing church was built in 1763 after its predecessor was destroyed during the civil war in 1646. The tower room is not open to the public.

The Churches Conservation Trust is a national charity protecting historic churches at risk.


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