Tower Restoration Appeal

Whether walking through the village or looking back from the Norfolk Coast Path and Peddars Way, St Mary's Church Tower is an outstanding landmark. Dating from c. 1400 AD, and Grade 1 listed, it is in urgent need of repair and restoration.

Most critical are the pinnacles at the very top of the Tower. If not repaired soon, there is a risk of falling masonry which could lead to the church becoming unsafe for use. The Tower also contains the only ringing set of bells within the Hunstanton and Saxon Shore Benefice — without this work, the bells could be silenced forever.

Extensive inspections by specialist architects, including drone footage, have been completed. A full project specification and schedule of works has been drawn up, and a preferred specialist builder chosen after an extensive tender process.

8 July 2026 — National Lottery Heritage Fund awards £249,849 grant

We are thrilled to announce that St Mary's Holme Parochial Church Council has been awarded a £249,849 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to repair and restore the Tower. Thanks to National Lottery players, this Grade 1 listed landmark can be preserved as a place of worship and community hub for future generations.

We are thrilled to have received this support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players we can restore our 15th Century Tower ensuring that our church is safe and will continue for future generations as a place of worship and a landmark in our community and beautiful setting less than one mile from the coast. I am stepping down next year after 25 years as Churchwarden and I couldn't ask for a better way to finish my term of office.

— Ann Rossington, Churchwarden and Chair of Holme PCC

Photographs of the renovation and repair work will be shared here and on the project's Instagram account as it progresses. A short documentary film is also being made by Nell Butler, resident of Holme-next-the-Sea and experienced film maker, charting the progress of the project with interviews from our community and the public.

The full programme of repair and restoration will cost approximately £490,000.

Thanks to the generosity of past generations, funds raised by events organised by the Parochial Church Council (PCC) and the Help Holme Church Group, and now the grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, most of that sum is in place. We still need to raise around £20,000 to complete the funding — and, as with any building project of this complexity, final costs may prove higher than the estimates.

The scaffolding alone costs £51,000 + VAT. Once it is up to reach the pinnacles for the most urgent work, it gives access for all the other necessary repairs at every level of the Tower. It would be a once-in-a-generation opportunity wasted if we did not complete the whole programme while the scaffolding is in place.

Being primarily a work of restoration, the project will have minimal impact on the environment. We are committed to using sustainable materials — for instance, the lead from the existing Tower roof will be melted down, added to new lead and recast to form the new roof.

Many think the Church of England is a wealthy institution, but individual parishes, through the Incumbent and the PCC, are responsible for the upkeep of their own churches. We are receiving help and guidance, not least about fundraising, from the Diocese of Norwich.

If you can help us ensure the future of St Mary's Tower, please consider making a one-off donation or regular donations through the Parish Giving Scheme (PGS). The PGS is a secure, efficient way to give and, by using Gift Aid, increases the value of your donation by 25% at no additional cost to you.

You can also give by bank transfer:

• Account Name: Holme Parochial Church Council
• Sort Code: 20-46-65
• Account Number: 03726274

If you would prefer to pay by cheque, make a cash donation, or have any other questions, please contact our Treasurer, Greg Sinfield. All donations will be gratefully received and kept confidential.

Keep up to date with the restoration and hear about associated events by following the project on Instagram, where content will be created by young people living and working in Holme.