National Churches Trust

National Churches Trust We work to keep churches open and in use. We have been helping churches for over 200 years.

The National Churches Trust is the successor to two older charities, the Historic Churches Preservation Trust, founded in 1953 and the Incorporated Church Building Society, founded in 1818.

We are encouraged to hear that Historic Environment Scotland have launched a pilot fund to support Scotland's historic p...
21/08/2026

We are encouraged to hear that Historic Environment Scotland have launched a pilot fund to support Scotland's historic places of worship. The Scotland’s Places of Worship Fund, expected to open for applications in autumn 2026, will support eligible listed places of worship across Scotland by helping them recover VAT costs associated with repair works. This fund will help protect the vital work churches do in their communities, from foodbanks and community events to mental health support and youth activities.

Sadly in other parts of the UK churches will still have to bear the full cost of VAT on repairs. Local people must now raise money not just to repair roofs and towers, but to pay a 20 percent tax to the UK Government too.

Find out more about the Scotland’s Places of Worship Fund: https://www.historicenvironment.scot/about-us/news/hes-launches-pilot-fund-to-support-scotlands-historic-places-of-worship/

📷 © Ron Allner

Victorian Methodists created a special fund which helped build our , St John’s Methodist Church in Llandudno, Conwy.As ...
20/08/2026

Victorian Methodists created a special fund which helped build our , St John’s Methodist Church in Llandudno, Conwy.

As tourism within the UK became more popular with the growing middle classes over the course of the 19th century, it became clear that these tourists needed somewhere to attend church on their holidays. The Watering Places Fund was set up in 1862, with the aim of raising money to build or improve Wesleyan Methodist chapels at popular destinations.

The fund helped build 24 new chapels, including giving a grant of £1000 towards the construction of St John’s, which opened in 1866 during Llandudno’s rapid development from a copper-mining village into a resort town.

Built in the Gothic Revival style popular at the time, the church has a corner tower with lancet windows (tall narrow windows with a pointed arch at the top), a tall spire and a dominant gable with a large multi-light arched window. The magnificent hammer-beam roof was added in 1877, covering over the original barrel ceiling.

While Llandudno is still a popular tourist destination, the needs of the people there have shifted over the years. A local community consultation revealed that what Llandudno really needs right now is a mid-sized event space – and St John’s could be the answer.

But the team at the church were facing a huge hurdle, with urgent repairs needed to the tower and spire. On the recommendation of the National Churches Trust, last year St John’s Methodist church were awarded a £50,000 grant from the Jane Hodge Foundation, as well as a Cherish grant towards project development.

“For generations, St John’s has been a place where people come to be inspired,” shared Rev’d Dr James Garnett, Minister at St John’s Church. “Our current aim is to secure the future of this inspiring building, not just by securing its tower and spire, but by increasing access to the building for community groups and audiences alike.”

Visit this fascinating church: https://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/church/st-john-llandudno

📷 2 © NoSwanSoFine (CC BY 4.0)
📷 3 © Elaine Champion (CC BY 2.0)
📷 4 © Kenneth Allen (CC BY 2.0)

This autumn, you can explore beautiful historic churches and help support them at the same time, by taking part in Ride ...
18/08/2026

This autumn, you can explore beautiful historic churches and help support them at the same time, by taking part in Ride + Stride!

Ride + Stride – taking place on 12 September this year – is a sponsored bike, walk or horse ride between churches, at whatever pace works for you, exploring and enjoying the countryside on the way. Each year, participating churches open up to welcome riders and striders on their journeys in partnership with their local Historic Churches Trusts and supported by the National Churches Trust. It's a brilliant day out, and for a fantastic cause.

The money you raise by taking part helps to repair churches, chapels and meeting houses throughout the UK. It's the single largest source of income for many Historic Churches Trusts and enables them to give hundreds of thousands of pounds in grants to churches across the country. The funds you raise can be split between your local trust and your chosen church or chapel.

Visit the Ride + Stride website to find out how to get involved: https://ridestride.org/

If you don't have a local Historic Churches Trust, September is still a great month to visit and support churches, with heritage festivals across the UK meaning that more churches than usual will be open for visitors. Check out our website to find out more: https://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/explore/do/festivals

📷 © Ioan Said

Our upcoming training sessions for churches cover everything from income generation ideas to help with maintenance. Plus...
17/08/2026

Our upcoming training sessions for churches cover everything from income generation ideas to help with maintenance. Plus, if you look after a place of worship in Scotland, check out SPAB's one-day in-person training courses on Maintaining Scotland's Historic Places of Worship. Look out for our team at the Edinburgh event and others.

Here's what's coming up over the next few weeks:

📅 25 August - SPAB: Maintaining Scotland's Historic Places of Worship (Edinburgh)
📅 22 September - SPAB: Maintaining Scotland's Historic Places of Worship (Forfar)
📅 23 September - SPAB: Maintaining Scotland's Historic Places of Worship (Hawick)
📅 29 September - New church, old building - considering a traditional church building for the first time (online)
📅 1 October - Applying for National Churches Trust grants (online)

Find out more and see all our upcoming sessions: https://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/training/current-sessions

📷 © Andy Sillett

“The grant came at the most opportune time as parish funds were low but the works needed doing. It was like a Godsend! W...
16/08/2026

“The grant came at the most opportune time as parish funds were low but the works needed doing. It was like a Godsend! With the grants we were able to restore not only the beauty of the building but also, we repaired and stopped any further damage," said Parish Priest Canon Michael Job. Reflecting on the rejuvenation of the church building as a result of this generous funding, Canon Michael continued: “We, as a community, are very grateful to National Churches Trust for making this possible.”

Lovely to hear these comments from a Failsworth St Mary in Greater Manchester, who the National Churches Trust supported with a grant. Our vision is to see open churches thriving at the heart of their communities, and that's what our grants, free training and in person support via our on the ground Support Officers enable.

Thank you to our supporters who make it possible to help so many churches, like St Mary, to be open and in good repair. We could not do it without you.

Read more here: https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/essential-repairs-funded-by-generous-grant-for-failsworth-church/

📸 1 Failsworth St Mary the Immaculate Conception in Greater Manchester © The Salford Diocesan Trust
📸 The beautiful font and stained glass windows © Matthew Marries

All Saints church in Muggleswick, County Durham, could have had a very different future. Like many other historic rural ...
15/08/2026

All Saints church in Muggleswick, County Durham, could have had a very different future. Like many other historic rural churches, the building was running at a loss. With fewer people in the area because of the loss of farming and mining jobs, the church was running out of options, and closure was looming.

There's been a church on this site since the Anglo-Saxons, even though the current building is 18th century. Across hundreds and hundreds of years, a church here has provided refuge and community.

The future was uncertain but now All Saints is thriving again, thanks in part to a grant from the National Churches Trust. As well as making urgent repairs to the leaking roof and porch, the grant enabled the church to install a kitchen and an accessible toilet.

"We are very grateful for the support of The National Churches Trust, this will secure the future of this much-loved church which has been part of the community for hundreds of years," Helen Barrass and Lynne Bean, Churchwarden’s at All Saints, told us when they received the grant.

Today, the church offers champing™ – church camping – which gives it a regular income. This was only made possible because of the new facilities. Bookings doubled this year. The church is located on two trails and is working with local tourism organisations to help increase visitor numbers and its work is boosting the local economy. Regular services for worship are still held.

There are sadly so many more churches still at risk today – that need your help. This year – for the first time in more than two decades – churches now need to pay VAT on any repairs or maintenance. This has made every repair bill 20% more expensive.

Saving a church for the future isn't just about fixing a roof. Our vision is to see open churches thriving at the heart of their communities. By donating today, you can help churches, like All Saints, have a sustainable future.

Find out more and donate: https://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/news/rural-churches-risk

📷 © Ioan Said

A grant from the National Churches Trust helped bring our , St Peter’s church in Brighton, back to life.The tower at Gr...
13/08/2026

A grant from the National Churches Trust helped bring our , St Peter’s church in Brighton, back to life.

The tower at Grade II* Listed St Peter’s Church was a huge concern for the community, with eroding masonry, crumbling stonework and rust landing the church on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register. Due to the ongoing issues with the tower, the church had been wrapped in scaffolding for many years. A community consultation found that 48 per cent of people could not tell if the church was open because of the scaffolding.

A grant from the National Churches Trust was instrumental in the church being able to complete repairs at the end of last year and remove the scaffolding – but that almost didn’t happen, because of the UK Government’s announcement about changes to VAT exemption for churches. The news created a funding gap, as well as difficulty finding heritage contractors as churches scrambled to complete work before the changes came into effect.

The team at the church rallied, and the work was completed at the end of last year.

“The removal of the scaffolding was a deeply significant and emotional moment,” explains Sandy Matthews, Project Lead at the church. “After more than a decade behind steel poles and protective sheeting, St Peter’s finally emerged into view again. The restored stonework and the newly repainted and reactivated clock instantly changed the feel of the building, reinstating its civic presence and giving the city back one of its most recognisable landmarks."

Find out more about this church: https://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/church/st-peter-brighton

📷 1,2 © St Peter's Brighton
📷 3 © George Redgrave (CC BY-ND 2.0)

Hidden for centuries, these remarkable 15th-century paintings were rediscovered in the 1850s when whitewash was removed ...
12/08/2026

Hidden for centuries, these remarkable 15th-century paintings were rediscovered in the 1850s when whitewash was removed from the vaulted ceiling panels at the church of St Benedict in Gyffin, Conwy.

When you visit, check out the 13th-century tomb slabs and 17th-century graffiti too: https://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/church/gyffin-st-benedict



📷 © BroCelynnin

Address

7 Tufton Street
London
SW1P3QB

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+442072220605

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when National Churches Trust posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category