Dry at Last! (125 years too late)
St Martin’s Church, Bremhill awarded grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to protect the church from rainwater damage.
St Martin’s Church, Bremhill is announcing a £47,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to provide a comprehensive rainwater drainage solution to protect the church from ongoing rainwater damage and preserve it for future generations.
The church is Grade I listed with evidence of Saxon work from 800 years ago, and without this funding from the Heritage Fund the building structure would not be protected from the rain and beneficial alterations which will encourage frequent future use of the building would not be possible.
This project will enable a comprehensive rainwater drainage solution to be implemented, minimising decay to the Grade I Listed church structure by maximising the drainage of rainwater from the roof and stone walls to a new soakaway.
Protecting the building fabric will transform the existing 1850's decaying interior into a warmer, drier space which feels better and is inclusive for everyone. This will hopefully increase the number of people who regularly visit.
In the long-term, the project will reduce ongoing repair and heating costs, and through current and new volunteers working together, encourage regular use of St Martin’s by future generations
St Martin’s will be providing community updates throughout the project, including displays of interesting churchyard finds. All are welcome to attend free sessions in Bremhill Village Hall to see and understand what is discovered. See the village newsletter and notices for dates.
Caspar Bush, Team Rector of the Marden Vale Benefice said: “We are delighted to have received this support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players the fabric of this ancient place will be preserved for generations to come.”
About St Martin’s Church, Bremhill
St Martin’s is one of six churches in the Marden Vale Benefice near Calne in North Wiltshire.
One of the special things about the Church of England is that everyone who lives in our parishes is a parishioner! Part of the mission in the local church is to be here for anyone who wants to connect with the church in some way. St Martin’s is open daily so everyone is welcome to visit whether through faith, being part of the community or for the heritage of this special building.
About The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. That’s why as the largest funder for the UK’s heritage we are dedicated to supporting projects that connect people and communities to heritage, as set out in our strategic plan, Heritage 2033. Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past.
Over the next 10 years, we aim to invest £3.6billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players to make a decisive difference for people, places and communities.
Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter/X, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLottery #HeritageFund
Further information
For further information, images and interviews please contact the Saint Martin’s, Bremhill project team: [email protected]