The £324,000, awarded to St Mary’s will fund vital repairs which include the dismantling and re-assembly of the flying buttresses and pinnacles of the medieval chapel at the Grade I Listed church, which was originally founded in 1123 by Roger de Newburgh, the Earl of Warwick.

“We are very grateful for the funding as it will help move us closer towards our target of £2.4 million which is needed to completely restore the church. Hundreds of churches across the country are faced with similiar restoration projects - because of their age - so this money couldn’t have come at a better time,” Rev Dr Vaughan Roberts, of St Mary’s told Midweek.

The £123,000 given to St Peter’s in Kineton, will be used for repairs and conservation of masonry which is at risk of total or partial collapse.

St Nicholas’ Church in Warwick, will use its grant to repair stonework and windows and secure the building’s general structural stability.The remainder of the churches in South Warwickshire, who received funding, will also undertake much-needed restoration work to their historic structures many of which date back to Saxon and Norman times.