£33,000 Lotto funding to kickstart work at Shrewsbury Abbey
A £250,000 revamp of one of Shropshire's most iconic buildings will start thanks to the first stage of lottery funding.
The Grade I-listed Shrewsbury Abbey will be transformed in a restoration project with work starting as early as next year.
The church, in Abbey Foregate, received £33,100 for the first phase of the scheme which aims to carry out extensive and urgent high-level stone work repairs on the building.
The building is currently on the "at risk" register of English Heritage and the works form the first part of an extensive project.
Vicar, Reverend Paul Firmin, said: "This project will assure the integrity of the amazing Abbey building for our generation.
"But it is not just about stonework. This is about several aspects which draw deeply on the Benedictine legacy of the Abbey – hospitality, outreach into the community and opportunity for the spiritual exploration which comes with prayer and pilgrimage.
"We welcome the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund. Now we have to bring this development phase to fruition."
The Abbey has applied to Heritage Lottery Fund for a grant of more than £200,000, and the first £33,000 marks the first grant awarded to fully develop proposals.
The final grant will be decided next year.
The renovation to stone work will be carried out on the South Chancel, South East Lady Chapel, North Chancel and North East Vestry as well as the Clerestory Parapets and Tower Stairway.
The next phases of work include what leaders have branded "state of the art virtual access" – giving information to people from around the world online.
The project will also include creating the role of a young persons officer to work with schools and the community.
The visitor facilities will be completed and the final part of the project will be looking at the potential of creating a Pilgrimage Trail.
The trail will cover 90 miles between Shrewsbury and Holywell in North Wales linking up with other places of historical and spiritual importance along the way.
The church, which is part of the Diocese of Lichfield, was founded in 1083 as a Benedictine Monastery and became a Parish Church at the Dissolution in 1539.
