Restoration

St John’s has stood tall over Upper Norwood for nearly 150 years—but age, geography, and environmental pressures have taken their toll. Since the 1990s, serious structural issues on the south side of the church threatened the integrity of this much-loved building.

St John’s: Securing our Foundations

Why Restoration was urgent

Built atop a hill and surrounded by mature trees, the south aisle and tower had long shown signs of subsidence and structural movement. By 2014, the church was shifting by 25mm in multiple directions, cracks had formed inside and out, and the floor had visibly sunk and fractured.

That same year, Historic England placed St John’s on the At Risk Register, recognising the urgent need for intervention to prevent permanent loss.

The Underpinning Project (2015–2017)

With help from generous funders and the Heritage Lottery Fund, a major £750,000 restoration project began to halt the subsidence and secure the church’s future.

Key Works Included:

  • Internal and external piling up to 20 metres deep

  • Installing reinforced concrete beams to carry the load of the building

  • Removing and reinstating the historic tiled and woodblock floor

  • Rebuilding the staircase and restoring heating

These complex structural works were completed by April 2017 and have successfully stabilised the south side. However, visible damage remains, and further restoration is essential to return the church to its full beauty.

Thank you to all our funders in helping make this happen:

Ongoing Works & Future Plans

We’ve secured the foundations—but our work isn’t finished. St John’s remains on the At Risk Register, and we are now focused on:

  • Stonework repair to the nave, tower, and exterior buttresses

  • Roof replacement on the south aisle and side chapels

  • Drainage improvements to protect against further water damage

  • Interior restoration of cracked plaster and damaged finishes

More restoration projects at St John's

Restoration of the pulpit at St John's the Evangelist Upper Norwood

Restoration of the Pulpit 

400 plaques restoration projects

400 Plaques

The Banner of the Blessed Sacrament at St John's Upper Norwood in Crystal Palace, current project restoration.

The Banner of the Blessed Sacrament

Together, let’s restore St John’s

Thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund and our generous donors, we’ve saved the building. Now we’re working to restore and renew St John’s so it can serve our community for generations to come. Every donation helps us repair heritage stone and stained glass, complete vital roof and drainage upgrades and make the church safer, warmer, and more welcoming.