MEMBERS of an Anglesey church have secured funding of over £200,000 to help repair the building's stonework.

If their round two grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund proves to be successful, then work to fix the pollution and erosion damage at St. Cybi's, Holyhead can get underway in early 2019.

Church members have estimated that significant repairs of over £250,000 are needed to preserve the stonework.

They have so far managed to attract over £200,000 via several sources of funding, with the pending £158,500 from the Heritage Lottery fund being the final piece of the jigsaw.

Other funding has been provided by WG Roberts (£30,000), Garfield Weston Foundation (£10,000), James Pantyfedwen Foundation (£5,000) and £3,000 each from Allchurches Trust and the Representative Body of the Church in Wales.

The project will be carried out under the care of the church’s conservation architect, Elinor Gray-Williams of Donald Insall Associates.

"The fabric at St. Cybi’s is so important to safeguard for the future," she said.

"The stonework to the William Morris window is badly soiled, and the condition of some of the early parapet level carvings are deteriorating badly.

"This building can tell us so many stories about its past, and there is a real danger we will lose this precious history if we don’t arrest this decay. I’m so glad these grant applications have been successful and the repairs are now moving forward."

Worship is believed to have been carried out on the site of the present church since St Cybi himself founded a religious community within the abandoned Roman Fort in the sixth century.

Parts of the existing church date back to the 13th century.

The building is Grade I listed and has several architecturally important features. Its significance is even greater when it is grouped with the walls of the Roman Fort, an Ancient Monument, and the 14th century building known as Eglwys y Bedd which stands within the churchyard.

Ministry area leader, the Venerable Andrew Herrick, said: "Together these buildings embody the history of Holyhead which has developed around the church. Even the Welsh name for the town, Caergybi (Cybi’s Fort), speaks of this history.

"These grants will help preserve the church, an important part of the local community, for generations to come.

"It’s a huge privilege for us to be able to worship here and to serve the surrounding community as we provide a sacred place for special services, weddings, funerals, and christenings, and welcome visitors and pilgrims from across the world.

"Many of the town’s big occasions take place here too, such as the recent service to commemorate the sinking of RMS Leinster and services to mark the end of the First World War.

"The help we’ve had from grant-giving bodies is greatly appreciated, but it is crucial that we get support from the local community too. Over the years, the building of St Cybi’s and its maintenance has been shared by the whole town of Holyhead and we’d be really grateful for that link between church and community to continue."