MAJOR repair work at an ancient Ryedale church has been made possible thanks to a £54,000 grant from English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

St Andrew's in Weaverthorpe will have a repaired tower, chancel roof and ceilings.

Work will also be done to re-point the nave south wall and chancel south and east walls. The north pew platform and hypocaust will also be repaired.

"We're delighted, it couldn't be better news," said church warden Elsie Williamson. "We would never have been able to raise that kind of money by ourselves as a village, we can barely raise the running costs.

"Hopefully, the younger people in the village will now come forward and take an interest in the church and it will continue to be an important part of village life."

The grant is part of a £1.3 million investment across the region, from which 14 historic Grade I and II listed churches will benefit.

David Fraser, English Heritage Yorkshire regional director, said: "The positive impact of this scheme on the region's most important religious buildings can't be underestimated. Congregations face huge challenges maintaining such places and in the past have often struggled to find resources to keep on top of essential repairs. These grants will ensure problems such as leaky roofs and crumbling masonry are nipped in the bud, before they become even more costly to fix."

Fiona Spiers, regional manager of the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), said: "Churches and places of worship are often the most prominent symbols of a community's heritage - landmarks that everyone can take pride in. Yorkshire's churches and places of worship are hugely important for their architectural and historical value, but also provide local communities with a vital place to come together. This major investment by HLF and English Heritage will ensure that they can continue to be enjoyed for years to come."

St Andrew's, a Grade I-listed building, is an intact example of an early Norman village church. It was built for Herbert, Chamberlain to Henry I, sometime between 1110 and 1130 and sensitively restored by G E Street in 1870-2 for Sir Tatton Sykes II.

The north wall of the nave was dismantled and rebuilt and roofs renewed, restoring the original steep pitch. The 14th century south porch shelters a simple Norman doorway, above which is a Norman sundial with an inscription recording the church's construction.

Updated: 15:23 Wednesday, March 09, 2005