Last updated at 08:46, Monday, 08 February 2010

A NEW church bookstore funded with money left by a late congregation member has been opened.

The book shop at Cartmel Priory Church of St Mary and St Michael has been revitalised using £25,000 bequest from Ann Rowbotham, who died in 2008.

The store was officially unveiled earlier this week by Barbara Hewellett, who opened the very first book shop at the priory in 1986 with husband Maurice.

At that time there was just a small table with around a dozen books and a few tea towels on sale to raise funds for the church.

Over time the store grew, stocking hundreds of titles and a huge collection of greetings cards.

However, Maurice Howarth, who has led the project to breathe new life into the shop, said it had become tatty and “out of keeping with the ethos of the church.”

He was asked by the Parochial Church Council to chair a committee to arrange for the library to be revamped.

Mr Howarth paid a visit to Lincoln Cathedral and was inspired by the bookstore there.

He took photographs and submitted them to the PCC and it became a blueprint for the shop. unveiled in Cartmel this week.

Mr Howarth said: “We are very pleased with the final result.

“We hope it will increase the turnover of the priory and consequently, profit. which in turn we can hand over to the PCC.”

Father Robert Bailey of Cartmel Priory said: “It’s all very splendid.

“We’ve used part of the money to do this work in order to provide a better facility for visitors and locals alike.

“It’s fitting because Ann always loved the place.”

The store is run by a core of 30 volunteers.

First published at 10:27, Saturday, 06 February 2010
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk