If you are associated with a church in need of restoration or repair (of any denomination) we may be able to help. We will consider helping any church, chapel or meeting house of any denomination which is open for worship. Unfortunately we cannot help closed churches or chapels. Currently we offer:
During 2023 and 2024, we have allocated £10,000 for grants of £500 for general maintenance work or costs incurred in commencing major capital projects.
Summary of Conditions
Restoration and Repair Grants
Smaller Project Grants
Hostile Climate Grants – Maintenance
Hostile Climate Grants - Kickstart
Scheme Criteria
All improvement, beautification, upkeep, and reconstruction schemes. Prioritises roofs, rainwater goods, electrical and heating.
Small structural or emergency schemes that fall outside the scope of regular maintenance, work costing from £1,000 - £10,000
One-off payment to assist with cost of inspection and clearance work.
One-off payment to assist with project start-up costs
Eligibility
All open churches and chapels, part of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland
All open churches and chapels, part of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland
CHCT Church Friends
CHCT Church Friends
Minimum Grant
£250
£250
£500
£500
Maximum Grant (Church Friends)
£10,000
£1,000
£500
£500
Maximum Grant (Other Churches)
£5,000
£1,000
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Timescale
Visit by assessor and consideration at next quarterly grants meeting.
Normally within a few days of receipt of application.
Normally within a few days of receipt of application.
Normally within a few days of receipt of application.
Validity
Five years from date of offer.
One year from date of offer.
Limited period in 2024
Limited period in 2024
Payable
Half on commencement, balance on completion.
In full, on completion.
Payable on receipt of invoice.
Payable on receipt of invoice.
Major Exclusions
Organs, car parks, re-ordering, new-build kitchens/ toilets.
Non structural or emergency work. Schemes over £10,000
Not open to previous recipients of a CHCT Maintenance Inspection Grant.
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Restoration & Repair Grants
Have a look at Previous Grants Awarded to see the churches we have helped and the variety of projects we have supported. The process is very simple, and not time consuming. Download a grant application form; there are four to choose from depending on the denomination of your church (C of E, RC, Methodist, or Independent). Then fill in the form on your computer, and email it back to the Grants Secretary (his email details are on the form) as an attachment together with the supporting documentation requested.
Restoration & Repair Grants Criteria
Our Trust Deed states that our funds are applied for "the preservation and maintenance, improvement, upkeep, beautification and reconstruction of churches in Cornwall and of monuments, fittings, fixtures, stained glass, furniture, ornaments and chattels in churches and churchyards".
However, our resources are limited and therefore at present we prioritise our activities to structural work on roofs, rainwater goods, followed by electrical safety and heating systems.
As indicated above, we also support work on windows, monuments, bells, paintings and clocks.
The Trust does not repair organs.
We do not usually support new build kitchens and toilets, or re-ordering.
We do not provide funding for boundary walls unless they form part of the church building itself.
We do not fund car parks.
The minimum grant size is £250, the maximum is £5,000, or £10,000 for Church Friends (see below)
Process & Timescales
Once we have received the form, then arrangements will be made for your church to be visited, and a member of the Trust will discuss your project with you and see exactly what it is your church needs. The Trustees meet to consider Grants in early January, March, May and late September in each year. To be processed, Grant Applications should be submitted to the Grants Secretary by the 1st. December, 1st. March, 1st May and 1st September in each year.
This scheme covers smaller projects that fall outside the scope of regular maintenance. It is also designed to accommodate urgent repairs.
CHCT will offer grants of £1,000 or 25% of the cost of the scheme before VAT, whichever is less. The minimum grant size is £250. VAT may be reclaimable under the Listed Places of Worship (LPW) Grant Scheme.
The main criteria are:
The work MUST have been identified by QI report or report by regular maintenance contractor / builder;
Two quotes for the work must have been obtained;
Work costed between £1,000 and £10,000 before VAT
Confirmation that the work does not require a faculty or similar permission.
We will arrange for our committee member for your area or Deanery to contact you and to undertake a site inspection if necessary. You will receive a decision in a few days; it will not have to wait until the next scheduled grants meeting of the trustees. The full grant will be paid on completion of the work.
Work of this nature is unlikely to require a faculty, but you MUST consult with the Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC) or equivalent body for your denomination before proceeding. We will require evidence that you have done so before making any grant. Please note, the DAC has special arrangements for emergencies.
For further information contact the DAC Secretary, Mrs Sue Thorold on 01872 247216 or email
This scheme is similar to the National Churches Trust (NCT) Foundation Grant Programme, which encourages churches to act on small urgent maintenance issues.
We hope that this initiative will help churches address maintenance issues on the grounds that a ’stitch in time saves nine’.
To apply, download the CHCT Smaller Project Grant form here
Grant for a Hostile Climate - Maintenance and Kickstart Scheme for 2024
All churches are facing immense challenges that have only increased since the Pandemic. General uncertainty is resulting in essential maintenance work being delayed and the shelving of much needed capital schemes. In order to encourage churches to act sooner rather than later, we have set aside a further £10,000 for help with either routine maintenance or start-up costs incurred putting together major projects. Grants of up to £500 per church are available on a first come, first served basis. The Scheme will close when the funds have been allocated or on 31 December 2024, whichever is sooner. Participation in this scheme does not prevent churches from applying for other types of grant from CHCT.
Maintenance Grants
Church surveyors, church Quinquennial inspectors and DACs are unanimous that identifying loose slates, inspection and clearance of gutters, valleys, roofs and rainwater goods reap significant financial benefits and provide reassurance to hard-pressed PCCs. During times of financial restraint there is a temptation to reduce regular maintenance but this only leads to greater problems in the long term as minor defects soon turn into major structural and funding challenges.
CHCT is offering a one-off payment of £500 to cover the cost of inspection and clearance work as well as any remedial work that can be undertaken taken at the same time.
If you wish to apply, please return the application form (here), and send it to the Grants Secretary, together with the receipted invoice(s) from your contractor and a copy of a recent statement for the relevant church bank account.
Kickstart Grants
We know that some churches wish to undertake major projects that require a considerable amount of work before the fund raising process can start. Usually this involves professional advice and reports, making taking the first step even more daunting, especially when there are very limited resources available.
In order to help overcome this hurdle, CHCT is offering a payment of £500 to help with project start-up costs such as surveys and feasibility studies.
Your proposed project must meet our normal grant criteria; you should have received outline support from the DAC or equivalent body. If you would like to apply, please complete the application form (here) and send it to the Grants Secretary, together with a receipted invoice and a copy of a recent statement for the relevant church bank account.
General Conditions for Maintenance and Kickstart Grants Eligibility is restricted to Church Friends of CHCT.
The Scheme can be withdrawn at any time, without notice. Each church can only apply once for one of the grants described above. Churches that have received Maintenance Inspection grants in the past are not eligible to apply for the Maintenance grants in this scheme.
We reserve the right to refuse applications that do not meet our criteria.
Please note, costs incurred in engaging a professional fund raiser are not eligible.
Retrospective applications for Kickstart grants will not be accepted.
Church Friend membership – a Church Friend applying for a grant has the benefit of a maximum possible offer increased from £5,000 to £10,000 as well as being directed to other grant funding bodies which have helped with similar projects. We very much hope that every church in the Duchy will become a Friend, the current cost being £50 per annum. Contact our membership secretary for more information
The Diocese of Truro Advisory Committee and Cornwall Council welcome entries for the 2024 Nick Cahill Award.
This annual award commemorates our friend and esteemed colleague Nick Cahill. A hugely influential and highly respected member of the heritage community, Nick was a scholar and authority who was unfailingly generous in sharing his wealth of knowledge and expert opinion, leaving no corner of Cornwall or aspect of our regional heritage and historic environment forgotten. The award scheme, established will the full support of Mary and Joe Cahill, reflects Nick’s passion for Cornish churches and chapels. The award is open to projects carried out on Cornish ecclesiastical buildings or within their settings and associations (graveyards, cemetery buildings, Sunday schools). It will recognise excellence in design and craftsmanship in restoration, conservation and/or improvement projects. Entries are welcome from all faiths and denominations. The award criteria are deliberately wide-ranging, and we encourage entries across diverse areas of work including, but not exclusively: • Historic fabric restoration or conservation projects involving traditional craftsmanship
• Re-ordering schemes, extensions or additions to buildings
• Sympathetic conversion of redundant ecclesiastical buildings or spaces
• Environmental improvements including renewable energy and habitat creation
• Accessibility improvements
• Community volunteering, training and skills development in conservation or preservation associated with a specific project benefitting an ecclesiastical building, its setting or associations
• Newly commissioned artwork or installations such as stained glass and memorials
• Newly commissioned collections such as candlesticks, vestments, sculpture, paintings and furniture
Completed entries must be submitted by 14 April 2024. For full terms and conditions and details on how to enter please email Paul Holden, DAC chairman
The current list of approved Architects and Surveyors and other advice on repair, restoration, maintenance and updating of your church is held by the DAC Secretary. Contact
Anglican churches in the Diocese have access to Church Grants see https://www.churchgrants.co.uk/subscribe For further advice on funding and access to Church Grants please contact Rebecca Evans E:
Latest Grants Awarded
Cornwall Historic Churches Trust
September 2024
St Sampson South Hill Repointing and repairs to tower £6,000
Madron Replacment of ringing chamber ceiling £4,100
St Mellion
Repairs to joists and timbers in tower clock room £5,000
Crowan
Repairs to tower doors, repointing, chimney capping and making good gable ends £3,000
Portscatho United Church
Replacement of roof & insulation work £5,000
High Street Methodist, Penzance
Urgent remedial electrical work £700
Kickstart or Maintenance Grants were also made to: St Mawgan-in-Pydar, St Dominick, Pelynt
The National Churches Trust
The National Churches Trust support places of worship from all Christian denominations across the country through funding, advice and other initiatives. They currently offer grants for between £500 - £50,000 to help maintain, repair and update buildings.
In the astoundingly short period of 18 months, due to the dedication and support of so many people, the eight bells in St Denys Church have been restored and rehung.
The dismantling of the bells happened across two weeks in January 2024 – the worker from Taylors was ably supported by a team of local volunteers. At the end of this process all the fittings and the oldest bell were returned to the foundry for restoration and replacement. Three bells remained in the tower and four were securely stored for us by Cornish Lithium.
Liz Bradbury writes “Fundraising and awareness raising activities continued at pace. The hardworking committee constantly kept working – members came from across the village community, not just the church. This has certainly been a whole community project.
Nine people have been training or refreshing their training as bell ringers – this has been conducted at this stage by Phil Tremaine and the training bell at St Columb Major – when this stage of training is complete then weekly bell ringing practice will resume in St Dennis.
In June 2024, over a period of 4 weeks, the bells were rehung, tested and then handed over to Steve, as Tower Captain. The internal of the ringing chamber were made more hospitable with walls cleaned, cleaned curtains, new curtain pole and new carpet. A service of celebration and rededication of the bells was held at the church on Sunday 14th July led by Bishop Hugh Nelson and attended by representatives from across the village and Cornish bell ringing community. The focus of this service was the way the local community has come together to support the project. Bishop Hugh spoke passionately about this aspect but also about how bells impact on our lives – to call to prayer, to celebrate family and community events and to warn and protect. The local bell ringing community have been generous in their support of St Dennis and will be supporting us as we go forward.
Pictures here courtesy of Derek Williams who photographed the whole process. These photos will be kept for the St Denys archives.
St Mary’s Aisle is the last remaining remnant of the Parish Church of St Mary, Truro, much of which was demolished to make way for the new cathedral in 1880. There has been prayer and worship on this site since at least 1259, the date it was consecrated by Bishop Bronescombe of Exeter. The first Rector was installed in 1265, John de Belsal. click here to find out more
Lecture for the Cornwall Historic Churches Trust AGM by Cannon Michael Warner.
24th May 2023 at St Goran Parish Church.
Introduction. [History tends to get forgotten, and here is a practical example, pulpit, a stand which I made, wood from a coffin-maker, I made it oblong as I did not have the skill to make it fit, and it is still here, and I am standing on it by the lectern!!].
My book, ‘A time to build. Signposts to the building, restoration, enhancement and maintenance of Cornwall’s Anglican Churches and Mission Rooms, 1800-2000’, lists all of the available documentary evidence in the timeframe of the works and the architects, not always professionals but well-meaning amateurs, sometimes I think, using the plans and specifications that had already been submitted by a professional architect, whether this was by accident or design can be discussed. The book also has a complete list of all of those architects, over 100, who were involved in the restoration of Cornwall churches, and the 40,000+ references in the gazetteer also lists those contractors and makers whose names have come down to us.
