Diocese of Chichester

Grants from SHCT play an invaluable role across Sussex in helping our churches carry out essential care and conservation of their historic buildings. They are often the ‘make or break’ factor in enabling repairs to go ahead.

The latest round of awards will play a vital role in maintaining precious places of worship and heritage across the county. We hear from eight of the churches in this latest round:  

St Mary the Virgin, Clapham (pictured) 

The £15,000 grant to St Mary the Virgin, Clapham, will help fund repairs to the bell tower and roof.

Churchwarden Maggie Somerset said: “The grant is a massive boost for St Mary the Virgin and will help keep our beautiful 12th-century building watertight and safe from the elements. By helping to fix the roof and stonework, the grant ensures that the church’s unique history, including its rare 16th-century brasses, William Morris tiles and ring of the oldest three bells in Britain, is protected, keeping this well-loved building open, warm and welcoming for the whole community.

“Whilst this grant has made a significant contribution, we are continuing to fundraise to reach our target of £130,000 and any further contribution from members of the public, however small, would be most welcome.”

St Peter ad Vincula, Folkington

Other grants awarded in September included £7,000 to the Grade I listed St Peter ad Vincula, Folkington, where Phase 2 of a comprehensive restoration programme is under way. The award will help fund repairs to deteriorating stonework and leaded windows in the chancel and nave.

The work comes in what the parish believes to be the church’s 800th anniversary year. Its first known Rector, Gervais, dates from 1226.

Churchwarden Alan Best said: “£7,000 is a very substantial help to us. The works are going well, and this grant will make a real difference to our ability to complete them. The restoration will help ensure that this Grade I listed building remains in good repair for the next generation, as it has served its community for centuries.”

St Thomas-at-Cliffe, Lewes

A £5,000 grant was also awarded to St Thomas-at-Cliffe Church in Lewes, which is embarking on an ambitious two-phase programme of repairs.

The 800-year-old, Grade II* listed church is the most prominent public building in the Cliffe area of Lewes and a popular attraction for visitors from the UK and overseas. Restoration work will include replacing cracked and slipped tiles, replacing guttering and supporting timbers, and general repointing of external stonework and flints.

PCC member Peter Varlow said: “St Thomas at Cliffe, Lewes, is the most prominent public building in Cliffe, and the only one Listed Grade II* that is open every day. The tower is the focal point of the neighbourhood, and its oak bellframe, probably 15th-century, was threatened. So the £49,000 work to remedy rain penetration to the tower roof stonework, leadwork, tiling, and timbers was essential. A grant from our own local trust, and a dip into accumulated funds, still left us short, and the speedy further grant from Sussex Historic Churches Trust has bridged most of the gap. A further £40,000 is needed for more planned work in 2027.

“Thank you very much indeed for the Trust’s speedy and encouraging response to our application. We’re all delighted and most grateful for the trustees’ support towards the rather large project we’re just starting.”

St Andrew the Apostle, Worthing

St Andrew the Apostle, Worthing, received £5,000 towards urgent roof and rainwater repairs.

The Revd Thomas Cotterill said: “Being just under a mile from the sea means St Andrew the Apostle, Worthing is quite exposed, as are other churches in our Diocese, to the elements. As our recent Quinquennial Inspection Report noted, the roofs of our church, together with aspects of the rainwater goods, are in much need of attention.

“Thanks in part to a generous grant from the Sussex Historic Churches Trust, we have made good progress in getting the necessary repairs done before the winter is upon us, which should result in us having a sound roof and clear gutters and drains.”

St Mary the Blessed Virgin, Sompting

St Mary the Blessed Virgin, Sompting, received two grants: £4,000 towards renovating its rainwater goods and £5,000 towards repairs to stonework and window ferramenta.

The large Saxon church is known for its Rhenish helm tower, the earliest parts of which date to about 970, and for its historic links with the Knights Templar and Hospitallers.

Deputy Churchwarden Mike Tristram said: “Both are crucial works to help make sure the heritage we look after will not just have survived its first 1,000 years but go on in good condition into its second thousand.”

St John the Evangelist, Bodle Street Green

St John the Evangelist, Bodle Street Green, received £4,000. The small, unlisted village church is just over 100 years old in its present form, having been rebuilt after a fire following a harvest festival.

The Revd Canon Marc Lloyd said: “We were delighted that the Sussex Historic Churches Trust were able to support our small unlisted village church. Alongside generous donations from members of the congregation, the grant funding we’ve received will help us to continue to serve the village and witness to the gospel.

“It was great that we could get these essential repairs carried out before winter sets in.”

Christ Church, Blacklands

Christ Church, Blacklands, received a further £5,000 towards its Blacklands Building Programme, planned for 2027. The programme includes three major projects and a number of others, at an estimated cost of £360,000.

The church also received £5,000 from SHCT in 2024, and has added £1,000 raised through September’s Ride + Stride.

Alan Burke said: “Alongside applications to the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Places of Worship Renewal Fund, plus our own congregational fundraising, we applied to Sussex Historic Churches Trust for a grant, and we have been fortunate enough to receive another £5,000 from them.

“We still have to face the coming winter, but all funding is welcome and we are confident that we’ll be able to make the tower safe and watertight next year.”

St Nicolas, Old Shoreham

St Nicolas, Old Shoreham, received £7,000 after several Horsham stone tiles fell from the north transept roof during a heatwave, leaving part of the roof exposed to the elements and wildlife in the churchyard.

A local roofing specialist quickly covered the exposed area with a tarpaulin, and work began as soon as List B permission was granted to replace the tiles and rotten battens.

Churchwarden Sue Bartlett said: “The grant application was easy to complete and submit and I had a phone call following the grant application meeting advising me of the amount awarded. On accepting the grant, the funds were promptly paid into our bank account, with grateful thanks from the PCC of St Nicolas Old Shoreham.

“The grant funding enabled us to carry out the work to prevent water ingress and further damage to our Grade I listed building, which is used for a number of community events.”

Further awards

Further grants were also awarded to St Matthias Brighton (£5,500) for urgent roof repairs and Heathfield Independent Chapel (£5,000).

Each grant represents an invaluable partnership between SHCT and local churches, enabling vital repairs and improvements that might otherwise be out of reach.

To read more about earlier church ‘success stories’, please visit the SHCT news page.

Ride + Stride 2027

Looking ahead to 2027, parishes are warmly encouraged to support the Trust’s most important fundraising event of the year: Ride + Stride, which takes place on the second Saturday in September. In 2027, this will be Saturday 11 September.

This much-loved event plays a crucial role in making grants like these possible. All churches can take part, and it is easy to get involved. Funds raised during Ride + Stride are split equally between the participating church and the Trust.

All churches are encouraged to check their Ride + Stride availability and service details on the SHCT website, where full instructions explain how to edit their details.

Funding news

If your church engages in heritage activities - or is planning to soon - then a new small grant from Historic England might give it a boost.

Neighbourhood Heritage: Grants for Communities is a new funding stream from Historic England offering around 21 grants of up to £15,000 for community-led heritage projects in England. The programme will use heritage to help communities influence and shape the future of their local places.

Projects can include community mapping, local research, oral histories, creative activities, workshops and heritage audits. Heritage can include locally significant buildings, places, sites and stories and does not need to be nationally listed. Projects must be co-created with underrepresented communities.

Projects must run between March 2027 and August 2028. Applications must be submitted by email by 11.59pm on 27 November 2026. Find out more here or email Fundraising Adviser, Caroline Roope on caroline.roope@chichester.anglican.org.