TWO weeks after vandals smashed a stained glass window at a church in Dixon, Monmouth, outrage and support has been expressed across the community.

But more than anything it has resulted in a sense of disappointment.

The window of the tenth century St Peter’s Church was smashed by a large flat stone at some point between Friday 8th July and Sunday 10th July.

Reverend Penny Powdrill of the Wye Reachers parish group, which incorporates St Peter’s Church, spoke of the messages of support since the incident. She said: “By and large people say they are so sorry we saw it had been vandalised, and is there anything we can do, because people are very fond of the church.

“It is incredibly old, it has been a place of worship for getting on 1,500 years, it has been a constant part of the Monmouth scene and I think people are very fond of it.”

Thankfully the window is insured so the cost of repairing it is not a concern. However, the process required for the repairs are more inconvenient. Rev Powdrill said:

“It’s insured so it’s not about the cost of replacing the window, it’s about the sheer inconvenience because it is a Grade II listed building we can’t just get it repaired, we have to go through a process.”

Acts such as these are especially disappointing for Rev Powdrill and her congregation to deal with as the majority of what goes on at the church and across the parish is volunteer based, with people getting involved just because of their desire to contribute.

Still, it is an inconvenience that will not stop the church from running, Rev Powdrill said: “We have had lead stolen from our roof and a chandelier stolen but we remain open and we say we are not going to close if people take things.”