Grant from above to improve Holmfirth church

May 13 2009 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A CHURCH at the heart of Holmfirth has been given £186,000 – to help fund its first major work in more than 240 years.

The grant means the leaking roof at Holy Trinity Church will be fixed.

The vicar, the Rev Keith Griffin said it was the first major essential works on the Georgian chapel since the floods of 1777 when the River Holme burst its banks.

The chapel, which has its origins in the mid 15th Century, was re-built the following year. But more than 200 years later water problems have returned.

The leaking roof will be fixed thanks to funding from Heritage Lottery Fund in consultation with English Heritage.

It comes from a pot of £1.44 million being given to Grade Two Yorkshire churches.

Holy Innocents in Dewsbury is getting £179,000 and Christ Church in Liversedge is getting £168,000.

Mr Griffin said: “The church is in a poor state of repair, there are quite severe problems with flaking masonry and there has been some water leaking through the roof.

“The masonry is in need of improvements and it is the first time it has really been tackled.

“It’s almost as if we are re-wrapping the outside of the church and fixing it.”

The work is being funded by £186,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, £25,000 from church funds and £15,000 from other sources.

Mr Griffin added: “It is essential we get it done.

“From now until the end of March 2010 an investigation will be carried out with English Heritage and hopefully the work will start in the spring of 2010.