St Michael & All Angels, Sowton DHCT Case Study

In February 2026, the PCC of St Michael and All Angels applied to the Devon Historic Churches Trust for an Emergency Grant towards the repair of a stone cross on the apex of the chancel roof that had begun tilting at an alarming angle as a broken section of masonry at the base had allowed water to penetrate, which corroded the inner iron rod supporting the cross. “The cross is at risk of falling in high winds, not only potentially damaging the roof and shattering as it falls but also posing a risk to passersby,” the grant application said.

The plan was for a stonemason to remove the apex stone to which the cross was fixed as well as the ironwork which was causing damage through rust expansion. He would then make a new base for the cross shaft and pin it to the existing cross, subsequently re-fixing the cross using a stainless steel dowl and re-bedding and repointing the stone with lime mortar. An archdeacon’s B list faculty had been sought and approved.

A DHCT assessor visited the church and reported back to the DHCT Trustees within a week in view of the urgency of the required repair.

As the stonemason required scaffolding including a platform in order to reach the cross and carry out the repair, the cost for addressing this hazardous issue came to an estimated £2,550.00. In their bid for a grant from DHCT, the PCC identified £1,000 from existing church funds towards the cost of the repair and believed it could raise an additional £200 through local fundraising efforts.

The DHCT kindly approved the grant application and awarded a grant of £1,000 towards the PCC’s shortfall. This allowed the PCC to commission the work promptly.