200 Norfolk churches get share of £42m in funding to preserve heritage
It's under a government scheme meant to help protect places of worship
More than 200 churches in the region have been given a share of £42m in government funding to help preserve their heritage.
From cathedrals to tiny village churches, some have seen as much as £90,000 which has helped carry out repairs, build new kitchens and more.
It includes redundant churches that have been given a new life as art galleries and antique stores, as well as those that continue to function as a place of worship.
With Norfolk having the highest concentrations of medieval churches in the world, keeping these historic buildings in good condition is a monumental challenge.
Some of the biggest beneficiaries of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme include the Church of St James the Great in Castle Acre, St Andrews Church in Congham and St Margaret De Westwick in Norwich.
At St Michael’s Church in Sutton, it has been used to help build a new kitchen, which Reverend Helen Lynch hopes will be used for pop-up cafes in the future.
She said: “This funding has been hugely helpful, not only to conserve the building’s beautiful heritage but also to allow us to make it a functional community space.
“We do not get any funding from the central church so external funding like this is absolutely crucial to maintain the future of the church.”
Norwich is said to have a different church for every Sunday of the year, meaning the cost of maintaining these listed buildings is high.
Simon Woodward, property and conservation manager of Norwich Historic Churches Trust said: “Funding like this is incredibly useful and ensures we are able to complete large projects.
“Repairs can be very costly, requiring specialist contractors and with Norfolk and Norwich having the highest density of churches north of the Alps, there are huge challenges to support these historic buildings.”
Since 2010, the fund has invested £346m in listed churches, synagogues, mosques and temples. It provides grants towards the VAT incurred on eligible costs, such as works to the roofs, masonry and monuments integral to the buildings.
Both of Norwich’s cathedrals gained tens of thousands of pounds from the scheme, which was used to support ongoing projects.
The Rt Revd Graham Usher, Bishop of Norwich, said: “As 95pc of churches in the Diocese of Norwich are listed, this is of particular value to us in Norfolk and Waveney. We are very grateful for this support and look forward to it continuing long-term.”
THE FULL LIST
Here is a full list of the listed places of worship that have benefitted from the scheme:
The Parish Church of St Mary, Homersfield, Harleston, IP20 0ET – £2,404.77
All Saints’ Church, Mendham, Harleston, IP20 0NH – £1,009.26
Church of St John The Baptist, Harleston, IP20 9AZ – £160.60
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Harleston, IP20 9QS – £678.00
St Margaret of Antioch, Diss, IP21 4BX – £369.35
Frenze St Andrew, Diss, IP21 4EZ – £103.20
Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul, Brockdish, Diss, IP21 4JJ – £642.70
Shimpling St George, Diss, IP21 4UF – £120.00
The Parish Church of St Andrew, Diss, IP21 5RA – £738.00
St Mary’s, Rickinghall, Diss, IP22 1EZ – £322.20
Redgrave St Mary, Diss, IP22 1RJ – £253.91
St Andrew’s Church, Blo’ Norton, Diss, IP22 2JE – £816.20
St Marys Church, Diss, IP22 2NX – £5,185.60
The Parish Church of St. John the Baptist, Diss, IP22 2SE – £2,365.73
Holy Trinity Church, Thetford, IP24 1NZ – £637.00
St Andrew and St Patrick, Thetford, IP24 3TQ – £1,184.00
All Saints Church, Threxton, Thetford, IP25 6LU – £1,704.36
St Peter’s Church, Merton, Thetford, IP25 6QJ – £6,286.92
St Nicholas Church, Ashill, Thetford, IP25 7AW – £1,020.00
East Bradenham St Mary, Thetford, IP25 7QL – £243.57
St Marys Church, Thetford, IP25 7SH – £1,207.40
St Andrew, Southburgh, Thetford, IP25 7TF – £532.60
Feltwell St Nicholas, Thetford, IP26 4AB – £130.80
St Mary the Virgin, Feltwell, IP26 4AL – £7,232.49
Hockwold St Peter, Thetford, IP26 4HZ – £156.00
St James Church, Hockwold, Thetford, IP26 4LP – £532.80
St Leonard’s Church, Thetford, IP26 5DZ – £151.60
Our Lady of Consolation & St Stephen, Lynford, Thetford, IP26 5EL – £27,027.25
Northwold, St. Andrew, Thetford, IP26 5LY – £984.46
St Julian’s Church, Norwich, NR1 1QT – £175.86
St John de Sepulchre, Norwich, NR1 3HB – £3,743.51
The Parish Church of St John the Baptist, Norwich, NR1 3LA -£1,569.56
Norwich Cathedral, Norwich, NR1 4DH – £74,922.33
Booton St Michael the Archangel, Norwich, NR10 4NZ – £103.20
Brandiston St Nicholas, Norwich, NR10 4PJ – £105.74
Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul, Norwich, NR10 4SE – £2,730.00
St. Andrew’s Church, Norwich, NR10 5JE- £2,133.15
Saint Peter & St Pau, Norwich, NR11 6AD – £5,445.06
St Michael & All Angels (Aylsham Parish Church) Aylsham, NR11 6EH – £12,981.28
Church of St Andrew, Blicking, Norwich, NR11 6NG – £9,050.47
Gunton St Andrew, Norwich, NR11 7HJ – £348.10
All Saints Church, Thurgarton, Norwich, NR11 7HT – £103.20
North Barningham St Peter, Norwich, NR11 7LB – £103.20
St. Michael and All Angels Church, Norwich, NR11 7LQ – £204.14
Head of John the Baptist, Norwich, NR11 8ED – £751.08
St Marys Church, Norwich, NR12 0BQ – £7,216.50
Holy Trinity Church, Ingham, Norwich, NR12 0TN – £2,474.76
All Saints Church, Horstead, Norwich, NR12 7ET – £250.00
St Swithuns Church, Norwich, NR12 7LT – £137.00
St Michael and All Angels, Norwich, NR12 8Y – £759.71
East Ruston St Mary, Norwich, NR12 9H – £388.69
Smallburgh, St Peter, Norwich, NR12 9NB – £5,388.40
St Michael & All Angels, Norwich, NR12 9SG – £25,256.33
St Botolphs Church, Norwich, NR13 3JB – £2,310.41
St Mary Church, Moulton, Norwich, NR13 3NW – £103.20
The Parish Church of St Andrew, Norwich, NR13 3PB – £3,598.40
Church of St Edmunds, Acle, Norwich, NR13 3QB – £3,187.53
St John the Baptist, Norwich, NR13 3TZ – £658.14
Buckenham St Nicholas, Norwich, NR13 4HN – £105.60
St Andrew and St Peter’s Church, Blofield, NR13 4NA – £755.57
St Margaret’s Church, Upton, Norwich, NR13 6A – £488.29
St Lawrence’s, Norwich, NR13 6DQ – £365.39
St Marys Church, South Walsham, NR13 6DQ – £6,464.02
Holy Trinity, Loddon, NR14 6EY – £114.00
Hale St Margaret, Norwich, NR14 6QL – £107.60
Heckingham St Gregory, Norwich, NR14 6QT – £102.00
Hellington St John the Baptist, Norwich, NR14 7BS – £124.06
St Peter’s Church, Bramerton, Norwich, NR14 7DW – £400.79
St Andrew’s Church, Norwich, NR14 7H – £995.00
Church of the Holy Cross, Norwich, NR14 8AB – £3,622.60
St Nicholas, Bracon Ash, Norwich, NR14 8HJ – £11,307.12
St Mary Magdalene, Mulbarton, Norwich, NR14 8JS – £1,542.79
St Andrews Church, Trowse, Norwich, NR14 8SX – £2,117.33
Church of St Mary, Norwich, NR15 1HD – £685.00
Church of St Mary the Virgin, Newton, Norwich, NR15 1PP – £3,152.00
St Mary the Virgin Church, Saxlingham, Norwich, NR15 1TD – £456.00
St Mary’s Church, Shotesham, Norwich, NR15 1UW – £674.00
St Margarets Church, Tivetshall, Norwich, NR15 2BD – £1,666.67
All Saints Church, Norwich, NR15 2UG – £1,351.64
St Peters, Forncett, Norwich, NR16 1HY – £3,482.63
Carleton Rode Baptist Church, Norwich, NR16 1RN -£27,406.38
Church of St Mary the Virgin, Norwich, NR16 2HN – £7,670.00
Wilby Parish Church, Norwich, NR16 2JP – £14,065.17
St Ethelbert’s Church, Larling, NR16 2QZ – £747.88
All Saints, West Harling – NR16 2S – £116.40
St. Margaret’s Church Breccles, Attleborough – NR17 – £324.49
The Church of the Holy Cross, Attleborough, NR17 1DB – £922.08
St Peter Attleborough, NR17 1JH – £290.80
St Nicholas Church, Dereham, NR19 1DN – £938.16
Dereham Baptist Church, Dereham, NR19 1DR – £2,992.91
St Marys Church, Dereham, NR19 2QQ – £12,033.74
Norwich St John, Norwich, NR2 1DS – £3,811.79
Friends Meeting House, Norwich, NR2 1EW – £2,596.23
St Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich, NR2 1QQ – £3,266.96
Chapel Field Road Methodist Church, Norwich, NR2 1SD – £1,749.84
Holy Trinity Church, Norwich, NR2 2BJ – £4,198.25
RC Cathedral of St John the Baptist, Norwich, NR2 2PA – £25,606.57
St Lawrence, Norwich, NR2 3PE – £594.00
St Margaret de Westwick, Norwich, NR2 4PG – £91,557.60
St Swithins Church, Norwich, NR2 4PG – £2,323.00
St Marys Church, Dereham, NR20 3DH – £22,127.52
All Saints, Mattishall, NR20 3QF – £6,088.24
St Bartholomew’s Church, Dereham, NR20 5AA – £1,498.96
St Mary the Virgin, Dereham, NR20 5AP – £8,451.10
St Andrews Church Thurning, Dereham, NR20 5QX – £816.76
Holy Innocents Church, Dereham, NR20 5SF – £1,587.71
St Andrew’s Church, Guist, NR20 5TS – £7,690.05
All Saints, East Barsham, NR21 0AR – £223.03
St Andrews Church, Thursford, NR21 0BW – £1,648.90
St Andrew’s Church, Great Ryburgh, NR21 0EB – £3,066.83
All Saints Church, Stibbard, NR21 0LT – £1,513.00
Colkirk St Mary’s Church, Fakenham, NR21 7NR – £1,998.38
Holy Trinity, Fakenham, NR21 8BT – £1,240.06
Fakenham Parish Church, Fakenham, NR21 9BX – £5,282.35
St Mary & All Saints, Little Walsingham, NR22 6BL, £1,775.76
Little Walsingham Methodist Chapel, Walsingham, NR22 6BY -£179.75
St Peter the Apostle, Great Walsingham, NR22 6D – £2,894.15
St. Nicholas Parish Church, Wells-next-the-Sea, NR23 1EQ – £13,712.16
All Saints Church, Melton Constable, NR24 2LY – £125.00
Hempstead All Saints Church, Holt, NR25 6AH – £719.20
St Marys Church, Holt, NR25 6LT – £348.79
St Andrews Church, Holt, NR25 7LQ – £472.80
St Nicholas, Holt, NR25 7NW – £6,187.48
All Saints Priory Church, Weybourne, NR25 7SY – £2,049.97
St Marys Wiveton, Holt, NR25 7TL – £17,722.74
St Margaret of Antioch, Holt, NR25 7TT – £479.74
Saint Nicholas Parish Church, North Walsham, NR28 9BT – £1,886.12
All Saints’ Church, Crostwight, North Walsham, NR28 9NN – £7,862.48
St Mary The Virgin Church, North Walsham, NR28 9RH – £827.25
St Margarets Church, North Walsham, NR28 9TA – £13,832.71
St Andrews, Stokesb, NR29 3ET – £946.00
St.Peter & St Paul, Mautby, NR29 3JA – £438.75
Church of St Mary the Virgin, NR29 4EU – £12,149.06
Ludham St. Catherine, Great Yarmouth, NR29 5QA – £3,775.53
St George’ Church, Tombland, Norwich, NR3 1AE – £2,542.67
St Michael Coslany, Norwich, NR3 3AE – £25,167.81
St Mary Coslany, Norwich, NR3 3AF – £7,555.56
St Augustine, Norwich, NR3 3BY – £428.55
Church of Holy Trinity, Great Yarmouth, NR30 5JN – £7,226.48
Church of St Andrew, Gorleston, NR31 6LR – £2,968.18
St. Peter the Apostle RC Church, Gorleston, NR31 6SQ – £797.69
St Nicholas Church Bradwell C of E, Great Yarmouth, NR31 8QQ – £404.00
St Peter and Paul Church, Great Yarmouth, NR31 9QG – £1,848.80
Stockton St Michael and All Saints Church, Stockton,NR34 0HP – £480.00
Church of St Michael and All Angels, NR34 0LP – £14,865.62
St Peters Church, Norwich, NR8 6JJ – £1,142.00
St Edmunds Parish Church, Norwich, NR8 6SY – £978.45
All Saints and St Mary, Great Melton, NR9 3BH – £216.54
St Margaret’s Church, Garvestone, NR9 4AD – £460.00
St Peter, Reymerston, NR9 4AG – £284.42
St Botolphs Church, Norwich, NR9 4AU – £1,109.00
All Saints Brandon Parva, NR9 4DR – £573.00
St Michael’s Church, Coston, NR9 4DT – £101.48
St Andrews Church, Norwich, NR9 4HL – £3,691.66
All Saints Church, Weston Longville, NR9 5JU – £8,307.29
St Margaret’s Church, Norwich, NR9 5NW – £977.85
Little Witchingham St Faith, NR9 5PA – £102.34
Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Norwich, NR9 5PL – £612.62
St Margaret’s Church, Norwich, NR9 5RE – £4,730.01
St Andrew’s Church Walpol, Wisbech, PE14 7LL – £207.50
St. Peter’s Church, Upwell, Wisbech, PE14 9AA – £1,135.80
Kings Lynn St Nicholas Chapel, King’s Lynn, PE30 1LT – £1,759.34
St Nicholas Chapel, King’s Lynn, PE30 1NH – £1,316.00
St Marys Church, South Wootton, King’s Lynn, PE30 3LJ – £4,037.56
St Faith’s Church, Gaywood, King’s Lynn, PE30 4DZ – £1,124.00
All Saints Church, South Lynn, PE30 5A – £4,854.00
King’s Lynn Minster, King’s Lynn, PE30 5DQ – £460.00
St Peter’s Church, King’s Lynn, PE31 6HD – £2,246.15
St. Nicholas Church, Kings Lynn, PE31 6LN – £634.80
Church of St Mary, Anmer, King’s Lynn, PE31 6RN – £1,258.00
St Mary’s Church, King’s Lynn, PE31 7HJ – £1,003.07
St Mary’s Church, Kings Lynn, PE31 8DD – £4,456.30
St Mary’s Church, King’s Lynn, PE31 8LH – £10,749.93
St Andrews Church, Congham, Kings Lynn, PE32 1DT – £52,141.11
All Saints, King’s Lynn, PE32 1NQ – £560.00
Church of St James the Great, Castle Acre, PE32 2AE – £25,452.34
St Mary the Virgin, Beeston-next-Mileham, PE32 2LY – £5,068.37
St Peter and St Paul Church, Watlington, PE33 0HE – £141.19
St. Mary the Virgin, King’s Lynn, PE33 0NP – £118.00
All Saints Church, King’s Lynn, PE33 0RB – £5,660.20
All Saints’ Church, King’s Lynn, PE33 0XA – £1,369.38
All Saints Church, King’s Lynn, PE33 9AQ – £241.74
St Georges Church, Gooderstone, PE33 9BP – £5,172.73
Barton Bendish St Mary, King’s Lynn, PE33 9DN – £122.40
St Martin’s Church, Fincham, King’s Lynn, PE33 9EH – £192.05
St. Mary’s Church, King’s Lynn, PE33 9HA – £571.56
Holy Trinity Church, King’s Lynn, PE33 9HP – £812.84
St Andrews, West Dereham, King’s Lynn, PE33 9RT – £6,456.19
Wiggenhall St Mary the Virgin, King’s Lynn, PE34 3EJ – £281.80
Church of St Margaret, Clenchwarton, PE34 4EA – £113.00
Islington St Mary, King’s Lynn, PE34 4SB – £110.40
St Mary the Virgi, Hunstanton, PE36 5NA – £401.74
The Parish Church of St Edmund’s Hunstanton, PE36 6BE – £4,642.00
St Mary’s, Holme-next-the-Sea, PE36 6LH – £1,696.40
All Saints’ Church, Thornham, PE36 6NJ – £1,015.00
Swaffham Methodist Church, Swaffham, PE37 7DD – £2,807.65
St Andrew’s Church, Swaffham, PE37 8LD – £1,682.03
St Mary’s, Downham Market, PE38 0HJ – £2,231.09