A striking Richmond church will be saved from further damage thanks to a £428,384 grant from Historic England.
The Church of St Richard in Ham, a Grade II-listed post-war modernist building, will receive £428,384 to install vital structural support under its failing roof and protect the property with a weatherproof canopy.
The funding is part of more than £1 million awarded by Historic England to three listed buildings in London currently on the Heritage at Risk Register, including two in Islington.
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St Richard’s Church was designed by architect Ralph Covell and is recognised for its innovative 1960s design. It features a hyperbolic paraboloid roof and dalle de verre window glass and is shaped like a Star of David.
The church was listed in 2024 and has been closed since roof failure led to safety concerns. Existing scaffolding is not sufficient to stabilise the roof, prompting the need for additional internal propping and a protective canopy until full repairs can be made.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund has provided an additional £248,000 to develop plans for a £3 million repair project scheduled to begin in 2027.
Meanwhile, St Andrew’s Church in Thornhill Square, Islington—a Grade II-listed building designed by Francis Newman and John Johnson—will receive £431,804 to begin urgent repairs to its spire, which is currently covered in protective netting.
In nearby Union Chapel, Historic England will fund the final stage of repairs to the former Sunday School building with a grant of £172,274. The Victorian building—designed by James Cubitt and now Grade II*-listed—sits behind the iconic Union Chapel.
It will be restored as an accessible, environmentally sustainable arts and heritage space run by the Union Chapel Project. This forms part of a larger repair scheme already supported by a £2.3 million grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The grant from Historic England will allow the work, which began in 2024, to reach completion.
All three buildings are recognised not only for their architectural value but also for their continuing role in serving their communities.
Tom Foxall, regional director at Historic England, said: "These three special buildings are not only beautiful historic places in need of urgent funding for repairs, but they are all essential to their local communities as important places to meet, bond, worship in, and enjoy.
"We’re proud to step in to help ensure people can continue to benefit from these magnificent spaces and take pride in the remarkable heritage on their doorstep. Working in partnership with The National Lottery Heritage Fund and other generous supporters means our money can go further and essential repairs are completed sooner."
Mr Foxall said the funding will help ensure that these churches remain active, welcoming spaces for people to come together and take pride in their shared heritage. He said: "These three special buildings are not only beautiful historic places in need of urgent funding for repairs, but they are all essential to their local communities."
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