Well-wishers have swung into action as an appeal to restore an important piece of Wrecclesham heritage has been launched.

Villagers have begun answering the fundraising prayers of Rev Jacqueline Drake-Smith with £18,000 needed to repair the 19th century lychgate on School Hill.

The vicar was losing faith that the gate, which dates to 1886, would not be restored during her incumbency at St Peter’s with an August retirement looming.

But the reaction of well-wishers has given her hope, with half the initial £6,000 target being donated within a week through the Wrecclesham Lychgate Appeal on Justgiving.

The lychgate is a beloved local landmark and stands as a “solemn and symbolic threshold” to Wrecclesham cemetery, but its restoration and upkeep will be dependent on donations and the community’s support.

“For a good while now people have been lamenting about the sorry state of our lychgate,” said Rev Drake-Smith, adding the gate is a “sign between sacred and secular.”

“Some kind souls have even asked if there was anything they could do to help renovate, but we need to renovate in a particular way to confirm to diocese requirements.

“The work is specialised and we’ve been looking for the right person to restore the lychgate for well over a year.”

But a chance meeting with Frensham carpenter Danny Tongeman was “a blessing” with the Besp-Oak Carpentry owner agreeing to begin work if £6,000 was raised.

A meeting with churchwarden, Gerald Blues, and the PCCs support means a long-overdue restoration is now within touching distance with an August start possible.

Rev Drake-Smith said: “We hope to maintain and reuse as much of the original material to maintain historic value.

“The parish church, and the Lychgate, belongs to the people.”

To donate visit https://shorturl.at/IUL5D Additional reporting by Anna Carroll.