AN ICONIC central London church has been awarded £4.6 million by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, it was announced on Monday.
St Mary-le-Strand is one of four churches to receive a share of £7.4 million in grant funding. The others are St Mary Magdalene’s, Stockland Bristol, in Somerset; St John the Baptist, Nash, in Ludlow; and St Monans Auld Kirk, Fife, in Scotland.
The Priest-in-Charge of St Mary-le-Strand, Canon Peter Babington, said: “We are hugely grateful to the players of the National Lottery. This generous grant will help transform St Mary-le-Strand for generations to come and to become once again the Jewel in the Strand.”
Recognised as the first English Baroque church, it is currently the site of an outdoor art installation by Louise Giovanelli while renovation works take place (News, 28 November).
David ParryCanon Peter Babington lights a lantern at St Mary le Strand, London
Designed by James Gibbs and completed in 1721, the church sits in what was formerly a semi-circular traffic island on the Strand, until part of the area was pedestrianised in 2022 (News, 28 October 2022).
In 2018, under a previous incumbent, the lay members of the church’s PPC resigned en masse in protest against plans to turn the church building into a branch of the US-based Museum of the Bible (News, 9 March 2018).
The chief executive of the London Heritage Quarter, Ruth Duston, said that the church was a “much-loved landmark” in the area. “We are delighted to see this wonderful funding awarded. This investment will not only help secure the church’s future but will also enrich the cultural life of the area for everyone who lives, works and visits here,” she said.
The Grade II listed St Mary Magdalene’s, Stockland Bristol, is currently on Historic England’s Risk register. It is to receive more than £2 million for repairs to its tower and roof, as well as for the development of its outreach work.
St John the Baptist, Nash, is also designated as at risk, and has been awarded more than £500,000 for repairs to its spire, tower, and roof.
David ParryA carol service this week at St Mary le Strand, London
A community organisation in Fife completed the purchase of St Monans Auld Kirk from the Church of Scotland this month. The St Monans Auld Kirk Enterprise (SMAKE) has been awarded initial funding of £115,841, with the possibility of more than £1.7 million in further funding. SMAKE’s website lays out plans to turn the building into a community hub. The east end of the church is to be maintained as a “sacred space for contemplation and reflection”.
The chief executive of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Eilish McGuinness, said: “Places of worship are among the UK’s most treasured historic landmarks, serving as gateways to our shared heritage and vibrant community life. Thanks to National Lottery players, these grants will allow each place of worship to take ambitious steps to reimagine how these spaces can inspire and benefit the people around them.”