Heart of Greenwich - Place and People

St Alfege Church received a grant of £1,836,800 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for the Heart of Greenwich, Place and People project, thanks to National Lottery players.

The project aimed to reinforce the church’s position as a heritage asset at the heart of Greenwich, reveal and interpret our hidden spaces and heritage for visitors, school children, their families and a diverse local community. Vital repairs to the fabric were carried out bringing to light the splendid work of Nicholas Hawksmoor, access has been improved along with lighting,  enhanced landscaping, signage and interpretation.

Working with the University of Greenwich, the Royal Borough of Greenwich and schools, we will give students practical experience, recruit and train volunteer Heritage Ambassadors and provide a programme of heritage focused activities. We will strengthen St Alfege Church’s role as a resource for future generations. Custodian of the emerging story of the place, it holds the remains of significant figures in British history and plays an important role in the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site.

Vicar Chris Moody said: “This has been a culmination of years of planning and we are absolutely delighted at this generous award. I would like to thank everyone who has made this possible.”

Explaining the importance of the HLF support, Stuart Hobley, Head of HLF London, said: “The Heart of Greenwich project will see Hawksmoor’s building restored and the heritage of this well-loved church brought to a wider audience. It is great that this gift from National Lottery players will support this well-loved historic building, and we can’t wait to see what further exciting discoveries will be made”.

Heart of Greenwich included

• cleaning, conservation and lighting of the north and south elevations
• a new access ramp and creation of a new entrance visible from the street
• two wheelchair accessible toilets
• repairs to the roof
• landscaping and a community memorial garden
• immersive events in the crypt for schools
• other heritage related events and lectures
• an increase in the number and training of volunteers.