The Later 19th Century
In the 19th century, religious life in and around St Mary’s was lively. There was a choir of men, women and children, an organ, bellringing, a Sunday school, and other groups. Charitable funds were raised for worthy causes such as Loughborough hospital. The parishioners also felt part of the wider British Empire and sermons were often held to raise funds for missionary work overseas. For example, in September 1859, a guest preacher the Rev W. Quetteville of Pembroke College, Oxford, preached two sermons to raise funds for missionaries and scripture readers in the British colonies. Clergy from India and other places, visited Wymeswold to give talks.
Further restorations and repairs took place during the 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1856, villagers raised funds to install a clock on the church tower, and the list of contributors was placed in its case.
20th and 21st Centuries
The history of the church building in the 20th and 21st centuries is largely one of repair and then modernisation in the post-World War II period. In 1907-8 the pinnacles above the tower parapets were replaced after the existing structure had become unsafe.
In 1932-3 considerable repairs were undertaken on the tower, organ chamber and boiler house, and twenty trees in the churchyard, which had been a feature on early photographs of the church, were all felled.
In 1955, the newly-installed Rev Lawrence Jackson organised two architectural inspections of Wymeswold. The first, in May-June by a Mr Cope, found the interior to be damaged by damp and fungus rot, caused by a problem with the roof. He suggested cleaning out the drains, and replastering and redecorating the walls. Another survey by Group Captain Goddard in November 1955, found far greater problems with the roof, masonry, window tracery, interior plaster work, woodwork and chancel screen. This included dry rot. As a consequence, a large restoration campaign took place, with the work costing over £4,000.
Refurbishment also took place in the early 1990s, with the assistance of the Wymeswold Church Fund Appeal (WCFA) organised by villager John Harrison, which was formed in 1992 to raise money for fabric repairs. In 1992-3, the north aisle pews were removed along with the decayed wooden floor on which they were constructed. The original faculty request to remove them became the subject of dispute and a church Consistory Court was held to hear the case. The result was that many of the original pews were placed around the wall of the north aisle, with some sold to local residents. The area was sterilised and a large void found under it was filled with hardcore and concreted over. A carpet was laid in 1994. The WCFA requested a service of thanksgiving and rededication, which took place in October of that year.
In 2006, further work was done to replace the seating. A faculty was obtained to remove pews at the east end of the nave and to purchase stacking chairs. A low platform was also constructed in front of the roodscreen. In 2007-8, a new kitchen and toilet were added to the west end of the north aisle and the tower base respectively, to enable the church to be used for a wide range of community events.
In 2022, dry rot was found on the south side of the nave, and a campaign of fundraising resulted in its repair. Unfortunately, this did not solve the problem and in 2024, extensive dry rot was found in both the north and south sides of the nave roof, necessitating a large-scale repair campaign. St Mary’s was fortunate to receive a grant of just over £451,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and a campaign of works took place across 2025.
