A Thousand Years of Faith Preserved: England’s Ancient St Mary deCrypt Wins £1M Lottery Grant

One of England’s oldest Saxon churches, St Mary deCrypt, has received a £1 million grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to preserve its ancient wall paintings—ensuring that centuries of faith and history remain accessible for generations to come. The church, believed to be one of the smallest in England, has been a place of worship for more than a millennium, with its crypt housing two remarkable murals: one from the Tudor period depicting the Adoration of the Magi, and an even older work dating back to medieval times. Operations manager Helen O’Connor told the BBC that inspiration struck during lockdown when she found herself sitting alone in the church, gazing at the paintings and wondering why so few people knew of their existence. “Visitors couldn’t really appreciate them,” she recalled. “And it has been six years of getting small grants to get reports done, to then apply to the Heritage Lottery.”

The site’s history is nothing short of extraordinary. Before the church was built, it served as a place of pagan worship, making the location a testament to two thousand years of spiritual devotion. “The depth of history is amazing,” O’Connor said. “Two thousand years of religion have dwelt on this spot, from the temple built beneath the current building, to the modern spiritual and educational hub we welcome visitors to today.” The grant will fund experts to create a detailed 3D render of the walls, allowing future visitors to virtually “touch” the ancient artwork. Additionally, students will be invited to the church to learn about its “extraordinary importance” and conservation techniques. The project represents a beautiful intersection of heritage, education, and worship—ensuring that the stories painted on these ancient walls continue to speak to future generations.