ST Michael and All Angels Church in Meeth is to benefit from a portion of a £596,000 rescue funding package from the National Churches Trust — the UK’s church repair and support charity.

The church had originally been awarded a £10,000 National Churches Trust repair grant for urgent repairs to its tower and to re-lay the nave floor, but has since received extra funding of £15,000 for additional repairs.

A total of 36 churches and chapels in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will benefit from the latest grants from the trust. Top of the 2016 list of funding requests received by the charity include repairs to roofs, stonework and drainage and the provision of toilets and kitchens.

Rev Ruth Hansford of St Michael and All Angels Church said: ‘The original project for the church was to fix the tower, however, we weren’t sure on its current state.

‘After the scaffolding was put up the builders found that the stone blocks, which are supposed to be eight inches, were only three inches! There was also a lot more work that needed to be done to the parapet than we anticipated.

‘With the grant from the National Churches Trust we can now afford to pay off the entire project, including a new fitted toilet and running water, without needing to pay back a huge loan.’

The project in total is costing in the region of £250,000 and other financial support has come from various sources including the Allchurches Trust, Devon Historic Trust and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

‘The total cost of the project would have probably taken us between five to seven years to pay back and fundraise for, so we are very grateful to have received financial support from the trust,’ added Rev Hansford.

‘The church is still open and building work is well-underway. The builders have been very good at clearing up in preparation for our Sunday service, and the people of the church have also been helping to tidy up.

‘I would like to say a special thanks to Jenny Green, who is our fabric co-ordinator. She has done an amazing job at managing the project as well as applying for the grants.’

Although restored and refitted in 1893, St Michael and All Angels Church is packed with history. Recent archaeology showed evidence of an earlier Saxon church on the same site.

The church has retained many of its original Norman features, with additions from the 14th and 15th centuries, and is surrounded by a large churchyard. 

Broadcaster and journalist Huw Edwards, vice-president of the National Churches Trust, said: ‘I’m delighted that this Christmas the future of St Michael and All Angels Church is being safeguarded by a National Churches Trust grant to fund urgent repairs to its tower. This funding will help ensure that this historic church continues to serve local people for many years to come.

‘Churches and chapels are some of the UK’s best loved buildings. But their future is not guaranteed.

‘This Christmas, when people visit a church or chapel for a carol service or even just walk past a church on the way to do the Christmas shopping, I urge them to think about how they can help ensure that churches can remain open and in good repair.

‘Everyone can make a contribution to the future of the UK’s church and chapel buildings. That could be by helping to clear drains and gutters to help keep churches watertight or by keeping an eye out for vandals or thieves.

‘Churches and chapels may be historic buildings, but they can be part of our future, too.’