AMERICAN PAIR’S GIFT FOR ARCH
NOSTALGIC TOUR OF WEDDING VENUE INSPIRES SUPPORT
AN American couple who got married in Tutbury more than 51 years ago returned and donated much-needed money to help restore a church in the village where they said their vows.
Mike and Judi Miller got married in 1967 while Mike was serving with the US Army and was stationed at nearby Fauld.
The couple decided to return to the village when they visited the UK in May, and this is when they learned about the ambitious project to restore the historic 850-year-old alabaster arch at St Mary’s Church.
Mike and Judi got married in the village while Mike was at the old Army base at Fauld. Mike was not allowed to return to the States to get wed and if they wanted to marry it had to be a ceremony close to his base, he said.
A small number of the couple’s family made it over for the wedding, but the congregation was mainly made up of Mike’s Army buddies, he said.
The couple said they remembered just how picture postcard the village was and when they returned to the UK this year, top of their wish list was to visit East Staffordshire as Tutbury was so special to them.
In a twist, they mistakenly believed they had married at St Mary’s, in Church Street, but their wedding photos revealed they actually said their vows at St Christopher’s in nearby Wakefield Avenue, Tutbury.
The mix-up was only discovered when the Millers contacted villagers in Tutbury behind the project to restore the arch. They spotted St Christopher’s in the photographs.
During their visit, the couple toured St Mary’s and were enthralled with the project to restore the ancient church arch.
After their visit, the couple, from Atlanta, Georgia, decided to donate £800 to the fund to restore the old arch.
The couple told the Burton Mail: “Tutbury is such a special place for us – we were married there and Mike spent some years with the US Army at Fauld.
“Coming back on our 51st wedding anniversary we were made to feel so welcome – everyone was so friendly.”
They have been encouraging their friends in Georgia and Florida, where they also spend time living, to donate to the fund.
They donated $1,000, which equates to £800, which has paid for the publication of leaflets to raise awareness of the work of the Conservation of the Priory Alabaster Arch project.
Work to protect and restore the alabaster arch above the west door of St Mary’s Church was given £62,000 in
grants from different organisations and from people living in Tutbury.
It has now received another £10,000 from nearby British Gypsum, based at Fauld Mine, and needs a further £7,000 to complete the project.
Even Prince Charles has sent a letter of support to the church committee tasked with finding the funding for the scheme.
The arch, which forms part of the outside of the west door of the Grade I-listed church and was built by Henry de Ferrers, who also built Tutbury Castle, is unique.
The couple said: “We had a proper English tea party with Pip (Rev Pip Short) and Father Arul supplied us with a copy of our marriage in the 1967 Register.
“On being given a tour of the village (and Fauld) we were so taken with the history – especially of St Mary’s.
“The project of conserving the arch excited us – we have nothing like it at home! We wanted to help.”
Jane Nuth, of the Conservation of the Priory Alabaster Arch Committee, said: “In April, Rev Pip Short [of St Mary’s] received an email from Mike and Judi Miller, of Atlanta and Florida, a couple who had been married in Tutbury 51 years ago and who wished to revisit the church and to see their entry in the marriage register for March 1967.
“Mike had been with the American Army stationed at Fauld in early 1967 and Judi came over from the States to marry here.
“They had their wedding reception at the Dog and Partridge in the village.”
Mrs Nuth, who had been corresponding with the couple via email, found the church register which recorded the Millers’ wedding.
In the meantime, an email arrived from the Millers with photographs of their big day.
This is when it was established that they married at St Christopher’s Catholic Church and not St Mary’s.
Mrs Nuth made contact with Father Arul Samy, of St Christopher’s, and, in May, met with the Millers to show them their entry.
During their visit, the Millers visited both churches.
Mrs Nuth said: “[My husband] Rick and I then gave them a tour of the village and a guided tour of the 929-year-old St Mary’s Church. “Mike was extremely interested in the architecture and especially by the conservation of the priory alabaster arch (CoPAA) project.
“He made many suggestions for fund-raising – and took us out for dinner with Rev Pip Short.” The arch promotion leaflet was later launched at a fund-raising lunchtime concert in the church.
They are now being circulated locally and some posted to the Millers in America.
Mike and his American friends have been donating to Conservation of the Priory Alabaster Arch through the MyDonate page: www.bit.ly/donateto-copaa
Conserving the arch excited us – we have nothing like it at home! Mike and Judi Miller