An ambitious project to restore a historic Fife church has received a major funding boost.
A £40,000 grant has been awarded to St Athernase Church in Leuchars as part of a campaign to restore the building to its former glory.
The money has been awarded from the National Churches Trust and comes as part of a wider community effort to preserve the iconic structure.
Greeting the news, Reverend John Duncan, the minister at Leuchars St Athernase, said: “It is wonderful news that the National Churches Trust is to give Leuchars St Athernase such a generous grant and we are pleased that it also acknowledges the importance of St Athernase Church at a local and national level.
“I am grateful to the trustees of the trust for enabling future generations to appreciate the historical jewel we have in St Athernase Parish Church.”
Lauded as one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture in Scotland, St Arthernase Church dates back as far as 1150 and is visited by hundreds of people every year.
Positioned at the heart of Leuchars, the church has remained an integral part of community life for almost 1,000 years and remains a focus for worship in the area.
Last month, The Courier revealed plans to restore the Grade A listed building to its former splendour, with campaigners estimating that around £500,000 will be required.
Repairs to the roofs, walls and drainage of the church’s nationally important Norman apse and chancel are required, while accessible information about the history and architecture of the church is also to be installed.
Once the repair project is complete, the church will be able to hold a range of community activities including guild meetings, choirs, Sunday schools, and coffee mornings, which currently have to take place in another building adjacent to the church.
Reverend Duncan added: “Until the funding is in place you are always waiting for the news, but now we have this grant the architects can now get going.”