St Andrew’s Church in Soham has received funding to begin urgent restoration work and involve local students in learning heritage skills
Top image by Mark Fairhurst
St Andrew’s Church in Soham has been awarded initial support totalling £315,000 to move forward with a much-needed restoration project and involve young people in learning heritage skills.
The funding, comprising £270,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and £45,000 from Historic England, will be used to help plan the project through specialist surveys and piloting activities with local community groups. It will also enable the church to build on its existing partnership with Soham Village College to inspire careers in heritage skills such as stonemasonry, carpentry, leadwork and blacksmithing.
The 12th-century, Grade I listed building has been on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register since 2018 due to the roof’s poor condition, extensive damp and the danger of falling masonry. Major repairs are therefore needed to prevent further deterioration and make the church an inviting community hub.
Following this initial work, the church plans to apply for a full grant of £2.8 million from the Heritage Fund in the hope that it might be able to begin the repairs as of 2027.