Norfolk churches receive £2.1m for vital repairs
The Heritage Lottery Fund has announced funding of more than £2.1million to support urgent repairs to 21 of Norfolk’s Grade I and II listed churches and chapels.
Across Norfolk these vital grants will help repair places of worship at risk including £92,000 for repairs to St Mary the Virgin’s Church, Brancaster (pictured top) in North Norfolk and £177,000 for Holy Trinity and All Saint’s Church, Winterton-on-Sea in East Norfolk (pictured bottom).
The funding comes from the Repair Grants for Places of Worship scheme, which is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and administered by English Heritage.
Out of 28 grants totalling over £2.8 million awarded in the East of England, 21 were for historic places of worship in Norfolk.
Robin Llewellyn, Head of HLF East of England, said; “Historic places of worship are an irreplaceable part of our heritage that continues to play a vital role within local communities today. In the last ten years, the Heritage Lottery Fund has invested £155million into these wonderful buildings and I am delighted we are able to continue supporting congregations across the East of England to safeguard them for future generations.”
Greg Luton, Planning Director for the East of England, English Heritage, said “Such fine buildings are a great resource, as places of spiritual discovery, landmarks, events venues, places of solace and architectural treasures. These grants celebrate both what they are and can be, whilst supporting the people who care for them on behalf of us all.”
Listed places of worship in England of all denominations and faiths are eligible for these grants which support urgent repairs to the fabric of the building with a focus on projects costing less than £250,000.
To be eligible for the next round of funding, applicants need to apply by 30th June for Grade I and II and 30th September for Grade II listed places of worship.
The 21 grants awarded in Norfolk are:
1. St Andrew and St Peter Church, Blofield
Grant: £99,000
Grade I Romanesque parish church, located in the marshes between Norwich and Great Yarmouth. The grant will repair the church tower, reroof south aisle and renew rainwater goods on nave and chancel.
2. St Andrew’s Church, Brettenham
Grant: £83,000
This Grade I church is of Norman or earlier origin, substantially restored in 1852 by Teulon. Dry rot has damaged the floor and threatens the pews and remaining paint decorative scheme.
3. St Mary the Virgin’s Church, Great Bircham
Grant: £104,000
A thatched Grade I parish church mostly 14th century with fragments surviving from an earlier church. Parapet repairs are required to the nave, chancel, aisles and porch as well as render repairs, replacement of asbestos rainwater goods, new gulleys and soakaways.
4. St Mary RC Church, Great Yarmouth
Grant: £130,000
Knapped flint II* church built between 1848 and 1850; it is little altered internally. The upper levels are in a very poor condition, with significant risk of falling flints from the tower and clerestorey, and leaking roofs.
5. St George’s Church, Tombland, Norwich
Grant: £180,000
This Grade I church is situated outside the gates of Norwich Cathedral. Repair is required to the south porch, parapets, west window, south clerestory walls and window. The important vault in the south porch and the glazing to the windows is in danger.
6. St Margaret’s Church, Paston
Grant: £99,000
A mainly 14th century Grade I church, re-thatched in 2000 with grant aid. It has a number of important 15th century wall paintings, at risk from damp in the walls. The grant is for some structural work, improving environmental conditions and conservation of the paintings and monuments.
7. St Edmund’s Church, South Burlingham
Grant: £157,000
A small Grade I church east of Norwich, restored in 1872. The mediaeval wall paintings are the most important feature including a 14th century depiction of St Thomas Beckett. Repair required to the tower roof, nave and chancel walls, internal plaster, wall painting stabilisation, and overhaul of rainwater goods.
8. Holy Trinity and All Saint’s Church, Winterton-on-Sea
Grant: £177,000
A Grade I church. Earliest fabric is a 13th century lean-to north chancel chapel. The spectacular 130 feet tower is in need of extensive repointing, rebuilding in places and much of the stone weathering is in need of replacement.
9. St Mary the Virgin’s Church, Baconsthorpe
Grant: £46,000
A large rural Grade II* medieval parish church, restored in 1868 by S S Teulon. Grant is to address the damp issues in the church where the roofs of the chancel and vestry are in need of repair.
10. St Mary the Virgin’s Church, Brancaster
Grant: £92,000
A Grade I church located on the north Norfolk coast. The Church is mainly 14th century. The repair project is for the re-slating of the nave and chancel roofs, and repairs to the flashings at the abutments.
11. St Mary’ Church, Carleton Forehoe
Grant: £83,000
This Grade II* listed church stands alone in a sparsely populated area, in the middle of a field with the suggestion of former buildings. The tower roof now leaks and there are cracks in the rendered rear faces of the tower parapets and pinnacles, as a result of rusting ironwork.
12. St Mary’s Church, Gressenhall
Grant: £90,000
This grand church is Grade I with a 12th century tower, partly restored in the late 19th century. It has suffered greatly from lead theft in the last two years, with over four instances just in 2011. This repair project will replace the lost lead with alternative materials, and provide security measures for the remaining leaded areas.
13. St Andrew’s Church, Hempstead
Grant: £88,000
This small Grade II* church dates mostly to the 14th century and 15th century. Re-thatching is required as the thatch has eroded to expose the fixings, and could lead to a major slippage at any time.
14. Blessed Virgin Mary and St Andrew’s Church, Horsham St Faith
Grant: £115,000
Grade I parish church, mainly 15th century with an early 14th century tower. The slate roof to the nave and the lead roof to the north aisle are both failing and will need to be renewed. The tower masonry is also in urgent need of repair.
15. Holy Trinity Church, Ingham
Grant: £92,000
A Grade I parish church. Nave and aisles rebuilt c.1360 with a priory added to the north. The chancel roof is in very urgent need of repair.
16. St Margaret’s Church, Lyng
Grant: £96,000
A Grade II* church with an offset chancel dating from 1912. The rest of the Church dates from the 13th century. The grant will address the nave roof slates which are failing and threatening the structural stability of the tower.
17. All Saints’ Church, Shipdham
Grant: £158,000
Dating from at least 12th century, this Grade I church has substantial 19th century restorations. The project consists of nave, chancel and vestry roof repairs.
18. St Andrew’s Church, Thursfield
Grant: £68,000
Grade II* church originally a 12th century church and now largely a Victorian rebuild. The grant will include the renewal of the roofs of the north slope of the nave, north aisle and porch with internal repairs to the north aisle ceiling.
19. St Mary the Virgin’s Church, Whinburgh
Grant: £92,000
Formerly redundant, this Grade I church comprises a 13th century tower and later nave and chancel, a small number of Victorian interventions and a 14th century font. It requires retiling of the chancel roof, new rain water goods and surface drains with repairs to the walls.
20. All Saints’ Church, Bircham Newton
Grant: £61,000
A small 13th century Grade II* parish church built of flint with stone dressing with pantile and slate roofs. There is a single bell in the tower. The main repair issue relates to dampness in the church.
21. All Saints’ Church, Litcham
Grant: £70,000
This Grade I All Saints Church has a consecration date of 1412, although there is some evidence of an earlier church on this site. Comprising of a chancel, nave and a tower completed in 1669 with a Victorian vestry of 1853. The grant includes the re-leading of the chancel roof and extensive associated timber repairs.