St Buryan church has received a funding boost of a £10,000 National Churches Trust Repair Grant to help fund urgent tower roof and stonework repairs as part of a major project to safeguard its future and remove it from Historic England’s Heritage At Risk Register.
The church was awarded £40,000 National Churches Trust Cornerstone grant in 2011 towards valley gutters and inner slate roof repairs.
The church is one of 54 churches and chapels in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland that are set to benefit from rescue funding of £310,060 from the National Churches Trust, the UK’s church support charity.
The project
The project includes the complete re-leading of the roof, a range of remedial work to roofing timbers and a range of masonry and re-pointing work to the tower. The work will ensure this vital, Grade I listed structure is protected and maintained. It is a structure visible for miles around on both land and sea. The peel of bells is of international importance and they are rung by many visiting ringers from throughout the UK and beyond. There is a real danger that the tower may have to close due to the condition of the roof structure. In addition to the physical condition, the tower and church is a backdrop to the village and the residents regard it as their heritage and a centrepiece to St Buryan.
Revd Canon Vanda Perrett, Rector of St Buryan said:
“As the Rector of St Buryan I know our whole community will be delighted with the news of the National Churches Trust grant. We thank them for their kind and generous donation of £10,000 towards the work on our tower; the total cost of the work needed to repair the tower is £220,000. “
“This is part one of a larger scheme of refurbishing and repairs to our unique building to make it safe and secure for the future, but also to make it fit for purpose today. In addition to the tower works, we have recently renewed the heating system and sound system and are beginning the process of putting a toilet and kitchen into the building.”
“ The work of raising finances for this is a great challenge. To have this grant from the National Churches Trust is not just a much needed boost to our financial fundraising but is also a boost to our fundraisers who will be greatly heartened by receiving support for our vision for the future of this wonderful historical sacred space at the tip of Cornwall. Thank you! “
National Churches Trust Grants
The National Churches Trust continues the work of the Historic Churches Preservation Trust, founded in 1953. Together, we have allocated over 12,000 grants and loans in excess of £40 million to help the UK’s church buildings, which in current prices equates to over £90 million.
The National Churches Trust accepts grant applications from listed and unlisted churches, chapels and meeting houses of any age of any Christian denomination, to fund urgent structural repair works, and the introduction of new facilities that enable the building to be more widely used by the community, such as kitchens and toilets. We also have a maintenance grant programme and project development grants.
Church buildings must be open for regular public worship (i.e. more than six services a year) and be located within England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.
More details at www.nationalchurchestrust.org/grants
About the National Churches Trust
The National Churches Trust is the leading national independent charity concerned with the protection and welfare of churches, chapels and meeting houses throughout the United Kingdom. We aim to:
a) Provide grants for the repair, maintenance and modernisation of church buildings
b) Act as a catalyst to improve and bring more resources to the management of church buildings
c) Promote the value of church buildings to the community at large
For more information visit www.nationalchurchestrust.org
PRESS CONTACTS
Eddie Tulasiewicz 07742 932278 020 7227 1936 eddie.tulasiewicz@nationalchurchestrust.org