Members of a church in Canons Park woke up to “heartbreak” when it was discovered that the walls of its Grade I listed building had been vandalised by graffiti.
St Lawrence’s Church in Little Stanmore had graffiti sprayed on the walls either side of the gate to the church.
In a post on X, the church called for unity and not division within the local area.
The post said: “Woke to the heartbreak of fresh graffiti defacing our churchyard’s listed wall – a sacred space marred by thoughtlessness. Let’s strive to build community, not destroy it. If you know anything, please come forward. Kindness and respect must prevail.”
The building has a rich history. The church was built in 900AD, the tower dates back to 1400, and the main building was rebuilt in 1715. The vandalised walls were built in the Victorian era.
Speaking to STANMORE&EDGWAREnews, Father Paul Reece, Rector of St Lawrence Little Stanmore, said: “It’s a very special building. As the bricks are old ones and not modern ones, they’re quite porous; it’s more than just cleaning it off.”
Fr Paul said the incident likely happened during the evening on New Year’s Day, and it was discovered by his wife the morning after.
Fr Paul said that thanks to graffiti wipes, 90 per cent of the graffiti has been removed, but he has been left shaken by the carelessness towards the local community.
He said: “We live in an age where people don’t respect the environment or the people around them. It makes it disgusting for everyone else. It’s the selfishness of people.”
St Lawrence’s describes itself as an “inclusive yet traditional Catholic Anglican” church on its bio on X and plays a key role in the community.
0 Comments