HISTORIC sites across Cornwall are set to benefit from their share of £41-million of investment to preserve them for the future.

As part of the £1.5-billion Arts Everywhere Fund, the government has launched its Places of Worship Renewal Fund and Heritage at Risk Capital Fund in an effort to restore, repair and renovate historic town halls, places of worship, market halls and even castles across the country.

In total, the fund will protect 74 sites at the heart of communities, in the hope of ‘reinvigorating local pride and ensuring people can continue to visit and benefit from their local heritage buildings long into the future.’ Of these, four sites in Cornwall are set to benefit, including the Church of St Elwyn in Hayle.

The future of this Victorian church will be protected thanks to significant repointing and masonry repairs that will prevent water penetration, along with new rainwater systems that will stop water ingress problems returning in the future. Interior decorations and building fabric will also be restored to their former glory using traditional conservation methods.

Heritage minister Baroness Twycross said: “Nothing tells the stories of our nation quite like the historic buildings at the heart of our communities. Thanks to this funding, the much loved buildings that fill our hometowns with character will be keeping the doors open to communities for years to come.”

Alongside the Hayle church, the Parish Church of St Martin in Liskeard, Wesley Methodist Church in Launceston, and the Primitive Methodist Church in St Ives are among Cornish sites set to benefit from funding.

Andrew Rumsey, the Church of England’s lead bishop for buildings added: “ I am very glad to hear of those churches and cathedrals that have been successful in the first round of awards. These grants, to churches in areas of considerable need, will help pay for fabric repairs that enable worship, missional and social action to continue in our communities.”