Historic churches to benefit from Lottery funding

A three-year investment scheme to help preserve the UK’s historic places of worship for future generations has been welcomed.

The Lottery Heritage Fund has announced plans to invest £100m in historic churches, chapels, synagogues and other places of worship struggling with expensive conservation and repair costs.

It is part of the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s 10-year strategy, Heritage 2033, which has identified places of worship as “heritage in need” because of “changes in the sector and gaps in support”.

“Our new strategy commits us to working with everyone concerned about the future of places of worship to ensure that they are valued, cared for and sustained for everyone,” said Simon Thurley, Chair of The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The Church of England has been awarded nearly £5 million from the scheme, which will go towards expanding ongoing conservation work across its historic parish churches.

Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Places of worship are some of the UK’s most historic buildings often at the heart of communities.

“There are many challenges facing these places, some new and others long-standing.

“The Heritage Fund has launched a new three-year strategy for places of worship which commits us to working with everyone concerned about their future to ensure that they are valued, cared for and sustained for everyone.

“We are delighted to be supporting the Church of England’s conservation grants scheme and we are looking forward to working with other organisations across the UK to develop their own strategic interventions for places of worship of all denominations to tackle the problems they face.”

The Bishop of Ramsbury, Andrew Rumsey, who is the Church of England’s joint lead bishop for church buildings, said the funding was “tremendous news”.

“I applaud the vision and generosity of the Heritage Fund in committing to the future of these extraordinary places of worship, wonder and service,” he said.

Emily Gee, the Church of England’s Director of Cathedrals and church buildings, said: “We are hugely grateful to the Heritage Fund for this extraordinarily generous and much-needed award for church buildings.

“It will enable us to expand our support to parishes in their crucial work to preserve our treasured cultural heritage, including the conservation of stained glass, wall paintings, clocks, bells, paintings and monuments.

“It will also provide a programme to enable churches to partner with educational institutions in the training of a new generation of heritage craft skill specialists, who are vital to the ongoing preservation of this diverse and rich heritage.”

Any place of worship in the UK that is experiencing challenges in conserving its heritage can apply to receive funding from the new scheme.

Catholic Archbishop, George Stack, is encouraging Catholic churches to apply.

“Our churches are places of encounter with Christ through prayer, peace and inspiration, as well as consolation, for those who visit for many different reasons. These sacred spaces are an indispensable part of our rich and varied history and cultural heritage,” he said.

“Inevitably, with the passage of time, they become subject to the generational cycle of requiring capital funded repairs. These need to be undertaken, often with extreme urgency, in order to secure and extend a church’s life and service at the heart of so many local communities.

“The generous recognition and priority of the National Lottery Heritage Fund in making grants available for this important work will be a source of encouragement to those who care for and use these beautiful buildings.”

Many of the Catholic Church in England and Wales’ 750 listed historic churches are in urgent need of funding for repairs.

Sophie Andreae, Vice Chair of the Bishops’ Patrimony Committee, said that repair costs were often “way beyond the means of their local congregations”.

“Buildings constructed during the Victorian period have now reached a point where, despite maintenance, materials such as slates and leadwork need replacing, and some highly inventive, indeed iconic, churches of the 20th century are also in need of repair due to new design methods and materials turning out to be less long lasting than thought at the time,” she said.

“Recognition that these buildings are an important part of the nation’s heritage and deserving of funding is truly welcome.”

Photo: Adam Glennon