Heritage project
Good News!
The parish church of central Finchley
26 Hendon Lane, Finchley, London N3 1TR
Join us in church on Sundays at 8am & 10am, or online at 7pm
The parish church of central Finchley
26 Hendon Lane, Finchley, London N3 1TR
Join us in church on Sundays at 8am & 10am, or online at 7pm
St Mary-at-Finchley’s Give me shelter! Church and Churchyard Project is finally happening, following the award of a £250,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The project will transform access to St Mary’s heritage and environment by making it available locally, nationally and internationally. Other grants were awarded by the London Borough of Barnet for £145,250, another £10,000 from National Churches Trust, £10,000 from Wolfson Fabric Repair Fund, a further £20,000 from Garfield Weston and £10,000 from the CSDS Foundation. The generous congregation and community of St Mary-at-Finchley has contributed £435,070 leaving just £50,000 of its £930,320 target to raise.
We have now received our first set of tenders for the project and it is clear that the project is going to cost up to an additional £400,000. We have informed the National Lottery Heritage Fund and we will be reapplying for additional funding. We are optimistic that, although the project will now be delayed by up to a year, we will find additional sources of income (details to be announced in September 2024). In the meantime, therefore, let’s continue with our £931,000 target – only £50,000 left to go!
St Mary’s will be working in partnership with the London Borough of Barnet and neighbour Barnet Mencap to revitalise Grade II* St Mary’s, the heart of Finchley Church End Conservation Area, to maximise use of the site and improve physical, cultural and digital access for the community. The project will involve:
St Mary-at- Finchley is the oldest building in Finchley. Some people believe that this was a sacred site in Saxon times. Certainly a church was in existence by the 13th century, when it was known as “The Church of Our Ladye at Fynchesley”.
Throughout its life the church has been affected by historical events – ornaments and furnishings were destroyed during the Civil War in the 17th century, and in 1940 a bomb devastated the east end. The oldest visible parts are the tower and north wall. These are predominantly of 15th century date, but include some even older stonework. In the churchyard by the porch are early 18th century tombstones decorated with skulls and cherubs.
The churchyard was extended in 1722, and in 1812 there were major roof repairs after the lead covering was stolen. With the arrival of the railway in 1867, Finchley’s population increased rapidly. A new south aisle was built in 1872, and hot water heating and gas lighting were installed. Further extensions were made in 1932. The last major restoration took place in 1953, after the wartime bombing.
The church is listed Grade II* and the churchyard contains seven Grade II listed tombs and monuments, including an obelisk monument to Major John Cartwright (“Father of Reform”) and a Georgian sundial which features in a 1793 watercolour of St Mary’s by JMW Turner.
Reverend Philip Davison, Rector of St Mary-at-Finchley said: “We are thrilled to have received this support thanks to National Lottery players, our parish community and the London Borough of Barnet. We are confident this project will transform access to St Mary’s heritage and environment locally, nationally and internationally”
Stuart McLeod, Director of England – London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, we’re delighted to award St Mary-at-Finchley a grant to restore this important Grade II* listed church and open up its history to a wider audience. The project will engage the community with the building in new ways through the creation of new interpretation and working with local schools and groups. It’s important that heritage resonates with its community and this project is a great example of this.”
St Mary-at-Finchley is an inclusive and diverse community at Finchley’s ancient parish church, brought together by our faith in Jesus Christ. Join us as a worshipper, a visitor, a concert-goer, or come along to one of our many activities.
Follow @StMarysFinchley on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube
Using money raised by the National Lottery, we Inspire, lead and resource the UK’s heritage to create positive and lasting change for people and communities, now and in the future. www.heritagefund.org.uk.
Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLotteryHeritageFund
Since The National Lottery began in 1994, National Lottery players have raised over £43 billion for projects and more than 635,000 grants have been awarded across the UK. More than £30 million raised each week goes to good causes across the UK.
Barnet is the second largest borough by population in London, home to over 389,000 people and 26,000 businesses. We are proud of our diverse communities and of being a place where people feel welcomed and celebrated. Our vision is to put Caring for People, our Places and the Planet at the heart of everything we do.
Find out more https://www.barnet.gov.uk/
Follow @BarnetCouncil on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
The National Churches Trust is the leading national independent charity concerned with the protection and welfare of churches, chapels and meeting houses throughout the United Kingdom. We aim to:
For more information visit www.nationalchurchestrust.org
The Wolfson Foundation is an independent charity with a focus on research and education. Its aim is to support civil society by investing in excellent projects in science, health, heritage, humanities and the arts.
Since it was established in 1955, some £1 billion (£2 billion in real terms) has been awarded to more than 12,000 projects throughout the UK, all on the basis of expert review.
Website: www.wolfsonfoundation.org.uk
Twitter: @wolfsonfdn
Established in 1958, the Garfield Weston Foundation is a family-founded grant-maker that gives money to support a wide variety of charities across the UK. The Foundation’s funding comes from an endowment of shares in the Weston family business – a successful model that still exists today. The Weston family has a consistent aim. The more successful the family businesses, the more money the Foundation can donate.
Each year the Foundation gives away its income and donations have continued to grow. Since it was established it has donated over £1.4 billion, of which over half has been given away in the past ten years. In the most recent financial year the Foundation gave away nearly £90 million to over 1,980 charities across the UK.
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