Selby Abbey has been awarded £1 million for a major restoration and storytelling project.
Most of the money from the National Lottery Heritage Fund will go to repairing the building, a former Benedictine monastery.
The Saint Germain stained-glass window will be expertly restored.
That will better reveal its story of a French monk, who was inspired by a vision to establish a new monastery on a site to be marked by three swans.
It was at the bend of the River Ouse in Selby that three swans alighted the river.
The cash will also fund a range of new activities and events, as part of Selby Abbey’s Origin Stories project.
These will including traditional skills workshops in willow weaving, stained glass and embroidery.
There will also be as classes in monastic chanting, graffiti and biodiversity-enhancing garden practices.
The abbey’s vicar, the Rev Canon John Weetman, said: “With the help of the National Lottery Heritage Fund we will be able to ensure that this wonderful abbey is preserved for future generations to enjoy.
“We will be able to involve many more people from the local community and beyond in discovering how the Abbey and the town came to be here, and how they developed during those early years of their history in medieval times.
“The project will also enable us to develop our team of volunteers who are key to the welcome and the activities that we offer to residents and visitors alike.”
Selby Abbey dates back to 1069. It became a very famous monastery, until Henry VIII did his dissolution thing.
Since then it has operated as a parish church – one of the largest in England.
Selby Abbey is one of eight places of worship in Yorkshire to benefit from Heritage Fund grants.
Others include
- All Saints Parochial Church, Helmsley, awarded £138,169 – to involve new audiences in the conservation process through hands-on experience
- St Martin’s Church, Bulmer, awarded £248,504 – working towards a sustainable future by conserving its 14th-century tower and improving thermal efficiency
- St Thomas’ Church, Osbaldwick, awarded £15,236 – for a project that will celebrate the unique contributions to local heritage of the LGBTQ+ community, people experiencing mental health issues, pupils from local schools and the Roman Catholic community of York.
Helen Featherstone, the Heritage Fund director of England, North, said: “Places of worship are some of the most treasured historic buildings across Yorkshire and the north of England.
“We’re supporting these fantastic projects to take vital actions towards ensuring a robust and more sustainable future for these heritage landmarks and forge new or stronger connections with their communities.”