Help us to restore the lychgate

We are calling on the wider Copthorne community to help us raise an additional £18,000 needed (2/3 of the total cost) to restore our village's lychgate, memorial structure and original well cover

The Lychgate, which was originally erected on the village Green as the public well cover – there being no mains water supply to the village at that time - became a memorial to Copthorne’s first vicar, Rev. Winfield Cooper in 1897. When no longer needed on the Green it was moved, in 1911, to become the lychgate for the church entrance, and for over 100 years, has housed the boards recording the names of villagers who served and fought in the First World War. It is a village heritage structure.

In 2014 a fund was initiated to commemorate all those from Copthorne who gave their lives in WW1, and to restore the memorial boards and gate structure. Between 2014 and 2018 commemorations of those mentioned on the war memorial in the church took place but the restoration work stalled. Time, weather and vandalism have taken their toll on the structure and the boards, plans have been drawn up to complete both projects and tenders are being sought. The residue of money from the original fund, some £3000, has been lodged in a designated account, to be managed by the church, and another £7000 has been pledged by a local company, provided the funds to complete the projects in full are identified. Further funding is actively being sought but contributions and pledges from the community are also encouraged to restore this beautiful structure as  part of Copthorne’s heritage. 

If you would like to help us to restore the lychgate you can donate here: