A SOMERSET church is to share in a £330,000 funding payout from a national charity to carry out roof repairs.

The money, from The National Churches Trust, will see £15,000 go to the All Saints' Church, in Castle Cary, as part of the Trust's Cornerstone Grant scheme.

It will be used to help fund repairs to the roof of the church, making it watertight and preserving its historic fabric.

Broadcaster and journalist Huw Edwards, vice president of The National Churches Trust, said: “The UK's historic churches and chapels are a vital part of our national heritage. During the coronavirus pandemic churches are doing so much to help vulnerable local people and boost morale”.

“Many churches need to carry out urgent repairs and install modern facilities to ensure their buildings can continue to be used well into the future. But the cost of this work is often far beyond what most congregations can pay for themselves.”

“So I’m delighted that All Saints’ church, Castle Cary is being helped with a £15,000 National Churches Trust Grant. The work on the repairs to the roof will help secure the future of this special and historic building.”

The site of All Saints' has seen Christian worship for more than 1,000 years, possibly since Saxon times.

The present building, in late Gothic perpendicular style, dates from 1460.

The church was restored and modernised by Benjamin Ferrey, enabling it to accommodate up to 730 people and making the tower taller and more grand.

Its steeple can be seen from far away and is unusual in Somerset where the tradition is for elaborate towers. It is an iconic feature of the town’s landscape.

The grant will help fund repairs to the roof.

The slate roofs of the nave and chancel have been patched frequently in recent decades, but they are now beyond patch repair.

The roof was constructed in the 1850’s and the slates now need to be refitted with new nails and battens. Many slates will need to be totally replaced in what is a challenging building project.

Katya Duncan and David Baldwin, Church Wardens at All Saints’, said: “We are delighted to receive this help from National Churches Trust.

"Repairing the roof is Phase 1 of our Development Project to enable the church to be used as a centre for community support as well as a centre for Christian worship.”

A total of 31 churches and chapels in England and Wales will benefit from the latest grants from the National Churches Trust, the charity supporting church buildings of all Christian denominations across the UK.

These grants are the first made in 2020. Last year the National Churches Trust distributed over £1.2 million to 176 churches and chapels around the UK.