Historic Grade II listed church near Milton Keynes at risk of closure receives urgent repair funding
A 13th century church near Milton Keynes will receive over £30,000 for urgent roof repairs after a series of lead thefts over the years.
Without the funding, the historic St Mary the Virgin in Great Brickhill could have been forced to close its door due to its collapsing roof damaged by rain.
A felt covering on the roof was put in after the church suffered a series of devastating lead thefts between 2014 and 2016.
The felt is now failing, at times of heavy rainfall, buckets are needed throughout the church to collect the water.
The Grade II listed building is also used by village community groups and the local Church of England school, activities – including church services – which would be forced to stop without the much-needed repair grant.
It is one of 18 church buildings to receive a share of the £1million funding pay-out from the National Churches Trust.
Project coordinator Phillipa Cook said: “Further use of our lovely building has had to be put on hold until the church has been made watertight. In carrying out the roof repairs, it will mean we will no longer have to put buckets out each time it rains!”
“A number of ceiling panels are at risk of collapsing; one already having done so. Each time it has rained during this incredibly wet period, further damage has been caused to the ceiling panels and also to the walls. Any delay in replacing the temporary covering of felt with terne coated steel would have increased the possibility of having to close the church and suspend all services and activities.
“The award from the National Churches Trust meant that we will be able to not only install the permanent roof covering and make the church watertight, but also repair the internal damage.”
The £1 million is thanks to a £500,000 donation from a private donor to the trust while a heritage hero has helped raise £1 million to pay for urgent repairs at 18 historic churches across the UK. This led to an outpouring of wider support – with more than a thousand ordinary people, businesses and trusts matching this donation and raising more than £1 million for struggling churches.
Trust chief executive Claire Walker said: “Churches are the beating hearts of communities. It is estimated they provide £55 billion a year in social good. If a church is not weatherproof and watertight, there is only so much they can do. Making vital repairs to these 18 iconic churches means that they will be able to stay open and in use for the benefit of local people. Food banks, warm spaces, community cafes and other vital services that are a lifeline for the community will now be kept open.”
Across Britain, more and more historic churches are at risk of closure. In England, there are 900 places of worship on Historic England's Heritage at Risk Register while in Wales, a quarter of historic churches and chapels have closed in the last decade. The Church of Scotland is planning to close as many as 40 per cent of its churches. The trust is hoping its campaign will influence the new government to introduce a matched funding scheme using different funding sources to secure the future of historic churches.