Your Heritage
Date awarded
Location
Dalston and Burgh
Applicant
Three Solway Churches Development Project
Award Given
£80000
The Three Solway Churches Development Project used a Your Heritage grant to complete a series of capital works to St Michael's Church, Burgh-by-Sands.
St Michael's, Burgh dates from the twelfth century and is Grade I listed. A stone was discovered in Beaumont which recorded North African troops as part of the garrison of the Roman fort of Aballava in the third century. St Michael’s was later built on the site.
Major infrastructure improvements included:
- a granite time-line of history of the church and area
- an alternative level access into the church has been created by re-opening the 13th-century west door,
- new WC accessed by ramped paths, and a kitchen has been installed in the vestry
- cycle racks installed as well as addition of exterior tap at the east end of the church where visitors, and particularly walkers and cyclists, may fill their water bottles on their travels
The project offered interpretation, learning resources and events at the church and two further local churches (St Mary's, Beaumont and St Michael's, Bowness-on-Solway) creating a linked heritage offer between the sites.
The churches made use of a committed and skilled volunteer team, as well utilising key partnerships with local schools.