Date issued: Monday 4 March 2024
Colchester's historical landmark and oldest standing building, the Grade I listed Holy Trinity Church, is a vital step closer to undergoing a remarkable transformation thanks to securing a development grant of £147,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The significant works pave the way for the restoration and adaptation of the church and its associated tower, which will be refurbished to inject new life into the space.
The funding from the Development Application will be used to develop plans on how to repair, insulate, and improve accessibility of the building, as well as to upgrade its heating system, ensuring its suitability for future use.
This significant step forward paves the way for a delivery application of £1.7m from the Heritage Fund, along with an additional application of £250k to Historic England for the restoration of the church tower, and a further application of £250k to the Community Ownership Fund which, if successful, along with the £500k contribution from government grants already secured, will bring the total project budget to around £2.8m.
Robyn Llewellyn, Area Director for the Midlands and East at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “We are delighted to support the transformation of Colchester's iconic Holy Trinity Church into a vibrant community hub. This project aims to honour the site's rich heritage while making it more accessible for generations to come. Thanks to National Lottery players, places of worship like Holy Trinity that form important parts of our national heritage can be preserved while also evolving to meet community needs.”
This project will see the removal of Colchester’s oldest standing building from the Heritage at Risk register and secures its long-term future. The transformation compliments the work already underway to enhance the green space in Trinity Square, largely funded by government grants, aimed at transforming the previously underutilised churchyard into a vibrant and accessible green space for the community.
Cllr Natalie Sommers, Portfolio Holder for Communities, welcomed the funding for Holy Trinity Church: “This is wonderful news, the result of years of consultation and planning. I would like to thank The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players for supporting this great project.
“The Saxon Tower of Holy Trinity Church, dating back to the 11th century, before the Norman Conquest, holds a special place in our city's history. I cannot think of a better way to honour Colchester’s proud past than by ensuring our historic church has a great future.”
Holy Trinity Church is just one of over 15 City Centre regeneration projects which will be completed before 2030. Most of the funding for these projects includes £19.6 million from Levelling Up and £2.5m from Section 106, as well as £19.2 million from the Town Deal. Together, the funding will contribute to regenerating Balkerne Gate, improve cycling infrastructure, bring heritage assets back into public use, and much more for Colchester’s city centre.
Colchester's historical landmark and oldest standing building, the Grade I listed Holy Trinity Church, is a vital step closer to undergoing a remarkable transformation thanks to securing a development grant of £147,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The significant works pave the way for the restoration and adaptation of the church and its associated tower, which will be refurbished to inject new life into the space.
The funding from the Development Application will be used to develop plans on how to repair, insulate, and improve accessibility of the building, as well as to upgrade its heating system, ensuring its suitability for future use.
This significant step forward paves the way for a delivery application of £1.7m from the Heritage Fund, along with an additional application of £250k to Historic England for the restoration of the church tower, and a further application of £250k to the Community Ownership Fund which, if successful, along with the £500k contribution from government grants already secured, will bring the total project budget to around £2.8m.
Robyn Llewellyn, Area Director for the Midlands and East at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “We are delighted to support the transformation of Colchester's iconic Holy Trinity Church into a vibrant community hub. This project aims to honour the site's rich heritage while making it more accessible for generations to come. Thanks to National Lottery players, places of worship like Holy Trinity that form important parts of our national heritage can be preserved while also evolving to meet community needs.”
This project will see the removal of Colchester’s oldest standing building from the Heritage at Risk register and secures its long-term future. The transformation compliments the work already underway to enhance the green space in Trinity Square, largely funded by government grants, aimed at transforming the previously underutilised churchyard into a vibrant and accessible green space for the community.
Cllr Natalie Sommers, Portfolio Holder for Communities, welcomed the funding for Holy Trinity Church: “This is wonderful news, the result of years of consultation and planning. I would like to thank The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players for supporting this great project.
“The Saxon Tower of Holy Trinity Church, dating back to the 11th century, before the Norman Conquest, holds a special place in our city's history. I cannot think of a better way to honour Colchester’s proud past than by ensuring our historic church has a great future.”
Holy Trinity Church is just one of over 15 City Centre regeneration projects which will be completed before 2030. Most of the funding for these projects includes £19.6 million from Levelling Up and £2.5m from Section 106, as well as £19.2 million from the Town Deal. Together, the funding will contribute to regenerating Balkerne Gate, improve cycling infrastructure, bring heritage assets back into public use, and much more for Colchester’s city centre.
Image: Trinity Church Sketch. Credit Inkpen Downie
Page last reviewed: 4 March 2024