Historic church given £15,000 for vital repairs
AGRADE I-listed church is set to receive £15,000 to fund urgent repairs to its roof and dome.
St John The Baptist R C Church on Dowling Street, is receiving the money from the National Churches Trust as part of their cornerstone grant scheme.
It is one of 64 churches and chapels to benefit from the latest grants issued by the trust.
The project will enable repair work to the concrete dome, masonry repairs and repair to the clerestory windows with the aim of creating a ‘community hub and an inclusive heritage site right in the heart of Rochdale’.
Broadcaster and journalist Huw Edwards, vice president of The National Churches Trust, said: “I’m delighted that St John the Baptist church, a stunning Byzantine style building, is being helped with a £15,000 National Churches Trust Cornerstone Grant and a £8,000 Wolfson Fabric Repair Grant.
“The funding will safeguard unique local heritage and help keep the church open and in use for the benefit of local people.”
St John’s is a stunning historic Roman Catholic church, completed in 1925 in the Byzantine style, styled on Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia.
It also features outstanding floor to ceiling mosaics created by Eric Oppenheimer on the theme ‘Eternal Life’.
This artwork covers the entire semi-circular sanctuary, created with high quality stone tesserae, coloured marbles, coloured glass and shimmering gold.
A spokesperson for the Diocese of Salford welcomed the news. They said: “We’re delighted that a remarkable church in our diocese is set to receive funding from the National Churches Trust.
“Our inspiring volunteer-led programme has worked hard to protect and restore the iconic building and interior.
“They have also ensured that they have listened to their local community and are now implementing the ideas they gathered.
“The Church will become a community hub to share stories, preserve the local heritage and welcome young and old to gain new skills and new friends.”
The church also receives a £8,000 Wolfson Fabric Repair Grant from the Wolfson Foundation on the recommendation of the National Churches Trust.
Paul Ramsbottom, chief executive at the Wolfson Foundation, said: “Churches play a central role in the spiritual life of a community, but they are also an integral, much loved, part of our cultural heritage. “We are delighted to be working in partnership with the National Churches Trust on this important programme supporting the preservation of these remarkable and wonderful buildings.”