March 19, 2014 2.44 pm This story is over 119 months old

Slice of £20m funding from budget for Lincoln Cathedral repairs

Repairs funding: Lincoln Cathedral is set to benefit from a piece of £20 million in government funding for cathedral repairs.

Lincoln Cathedral is set to benefit from a slice of £20 million in government funding for cathedral repairs.

Announced in the 2014 budget on March 19, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osbourne allocated £20 million for work to cathedral buildings.

Originally, there was only limited support for religious buildings through the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, but is not available for cathedrals.

This meant that Lincoln Cathedral did a lot of its own fundraising with the help of donors and trusts in order to carry out essential repair works to the iconic landmark.

The Dean of Lincoln, the Very Reverend Philip Buckler, welcomed the news, but he was also cautious.

He said: “I welcome the Chancellor’s announcement as a recognition of the considerable contribution made by our cathedrals not only to the spiritual life of the nation but also to the social and economic wellbeing of the communities in which they are set.

“But this will not solve all our problems, and we must continue to seek the support of all who love and value our great Cathedral here in Lincoln.”

Lincoln Cathedral spends at least £1.6 million a year on repair work to the building.

Lincoln is also the only cathedral on English Heritage’s “At Risk” register, and will remain so if it cannot keep up with maintenance.

In recent years, the cathedral received support from English Heritage of £250,000 towards these repairs, but English Heritage has since lost the grant.

The cathedral is also working on a £12 million revamp project.