St Mary church has been part of the Totnes landscape for more than 500 years but if urgent action is not taken, this beautiful heritage could be lost forever.

The Grade I Listed church is on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register – it is listed by them as "poor" and facing “slow decay”.

The floor is now not just a conservation concern – but also a health and safety one too.

Part of the floor is sinking, and other parts are now raised up.

This is due to water and damp underneath the building, expanding and contracting and destroying the floors.

The building is now damp and extremely cold – making it unusable in the winter months.

The church is not just a heritage landmark, but a vital community space.

From weekly cafes, classical concerts, book launches, talks and lectures to choir practises, the church is a valued and much-loved space.

It is open from dawn until dusk every day and attracts 50,000 visitors a year from people wanting to enjoy the heritage or just find somewhere quiet to reflect and pray.

The weekly cafe has to turn monthly in the winter due to the cold.

Thankfully, help is on hand to protect this much-loved building.

The church is to share in a £871,696 urgent funding payout from the National Churches Trust.  

A £40,000 National Churches Trust Grant will help to pay for urgent repairs.

On the recommendation of the National Churches Trust, the church will also receive a £10,000 Wolfson Fabric Repair Grant from the Wolfson Foundation.

Claire Walker, Chief Executive of the National Churches Trust, said:  

"The National Churches Trust is delighted to be able to support St Mary church to enable them to carry out urgent repairs to their beautiful building.

Not only will this protect this important heritage, but it will help to keep the church building open and serving local people.” 

Jim Barlow, Rector at St. Mary’s church, said:

“This grant from the National Churches Trust and the Wolfson Foundation is brilliant news for us.

It is not easy for parish churches to raise funds for major repairs because everyone thinks the church is wealthy.

In reality, local churches are run and funded by local volunteers.

The National Churches Trust is one of the few bodies making funds available to support incredible buildings, like St Marys, which serve and support the whole community.”

“Repairs to the floor and making the building more accessible will enable more people to use the church for more of the year, both in the day and the evening.

St Mary is a former priory church, rebuilt in 1439-1460 from Devon rubble.

It has been built on a site that has hosted worship for a thousand years.

The imposing tower, in characteristic Devon red stone, dominates the steep High Street.

The churchyard and surrounding area are a scheduled monument, along with the remains of the Benedictine Priory.

The National Churches Trust helps churches through its extensive grants programme.

Full details at: nationalchurchestrust.org/grants