The grants are offering much needed funds to places of worship at risk across Yorkshire and Humber including St Leonard’s Church in Thrybergh, Rotherham; the Church of the Epiphany, Gipton in Leeds; All Saints in Pontefract, Wakefield; and the Church of St John the Evangelist, Birkby in Huddersfield.

This money comes from the Repair Grants for Places of Worship scheme*, which is currently funded by HLF and administered by English Heritage. In June 2013, it will be superseded by HLF’s new £30million, UK-wide Grants for Places of Worship** programme. This new initiative will continue to prioritise urgent structural repairs; however it will also enable applicants to apply for funding to support new works - such as the provision of toilets and kitchens - that will improve the functionality of these precious buildings making them fit for the future.

Fiona Spiers, Head of HLF Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “Historic places of worship form prominent and much loved landmarks in our villages, towns and cities across Yorkshire and Humber. They are unique buildings that bring local communities together for a variety of reasons from worship through to culture and leisure.  Since 1994, the Heritage Lottery Fund has invested more than £500million into these precious buildings across the UK and with these new grants we aim to ensure even more are secured for future generations to enjoy.” 

Trevor Mitchell, English Heritage Planning Director for Yorkshire, said: “Listed places of worship make up an elemental part of the historic fabric of England. They are familiar and much loved landmarks for our villages, towns and cities and it is crucial they are cared for and repaired. Thanks to the joint working between the Heritage Lottery Fund and English Heritage these wonderful buildings, which mean so much to so many, will remain part of our story for years to come.”

£188,000 has been awarded to the Church of the Epiphany in Gipton in Leeds. This Grade I listed church is a large imposing art-deco building built in 1936-38 and designed by Nugent Francis Cachemaille-Day. It was later altered in 1976. The flat roofs and gutters have deteriorated over the years which have led to water ingress to the interior resulting in sections of the concrete cill stringcourses being damaged by corroding reinforcement within. Repairs are currently underway to the nave, chancel and transept roofs. This grant would see the completion of the major roofing works with the repair of the East End Gutters and roofing, repairs to the concrete cills and stringcourses, the re-pointing of open jointed brickwork, and the re-leading of the windows.

£60,000 has been awarded to the St Leonard’s Church in Thrybergh in Rotherham. This Grade II* listed church has an 11th/12th century nave with 15th century style windows, a 14th century chancel and a 15th century tower. All were extensively restored in 1871 and 1894. This grant will be used for extensive masonry repairs to the Nave and Chancel which have been eroded by weather, sulphate salt attack and high moisture content.

Notes to editors

*The Repair Grants for Places of Worship in England Scheme was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and administered by English Heritage on behalf of both organisations. 

Until 2010, the scheme was jointly funded by HLF and EH. Since then, HLF had provided the majority of the funding to ensure that the scheme continued in its current form until June 2013.

Listed places of worship in England of all denominations and faiths were eligible for grants which support urgent repairs to the fabric of the building with a focus on projects costing less than £250,000. There was a two-stage application process with development funding available at Stage One to help work up proposals. This scheme is now closed to new applications. 

**Grants for Places of Worship

HLF’s Grants for Places of Worship Programme is now open to applications. It is funded and administered solely by the Heritage Lottery Fund in England, Wales and Northern Ireland although English Heritage continues to provide expert advice in England.

In Scotland, the new programme is jointly funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic Scotland.

English Heritage is the Government’s statutory advisor on the historic environment. It provides advice on how best to conserve England’s heritage for the benefit of everyone. While most of England’s heritage is in private hands, it works with all who come into contact with it - landowners, businesses, planners and developers, national, regional and local government, the Third Sector, local communities and the general public -  to help them understand, value, care for and enjoy England’s historic environment.

It is also entrusted with the custodianship of over 400 sites and monuments which together form the national collection of built and archaeological heritage. These include some of the most important monuments of human history such as Stonehenge and Hadrian’s Wall. English Heritage website. 

Further information

HLF Press Office: Natasha Ley or Alison Scott on 020 7591 6143 / 6035 or 07973 613 820 or natashal@hlf.org.uk