Help Restore the Floor at St Andrew’s Church

Aim

Preserve St Andrew’s Gorleston: Donate to repair our historic floor & walls to restore seating and secure this 13th-century site for all.

St Andrew’s Church in Gorleston is a Grade 11* listed building, with parts dating back to the 13th century. It is among the 300 largest and most historically significant parish churches in England. For centuries, it has been a major church of the parish, and it is believed that a place of worship has stood on this site since as early as the 7th century.

The church tower has long served as a watchtower and landmark for ships entering the harbour. Around 100 years ago it was restored as a memorial to the Gorleston Lifeboat men who lost their lives at sea, standing as a lasting testament to faith, service, and sacrifice. Every window in the church is filled with beautiful stained glass, including works by Mayer of Munich, and the interior houses many historic artefacts that reflect generations of worship and community life.

Alongside regular services each Sunday at 8am and 10am, and on Thursdays at 10.30am, St Andrew’s has been privileged to host many thousands of baptisms, weddings and funerals down the centuries for local people. For many in the local community, the church is a place of memory, peace, prayer, and belonging. It continues to play a central role throughout the year, hosting significant occasions such as Remembrance, Easter and Christmas services, as well as welcoming the wider community through coffee mornings, summer fayres, and heritage events. The doors of St Andrew’s are open, and all are welcome.

In August 2024, serious issues were discovered in areas of the church’s wooden floor. Further investigation revealed extensive rot, with some sections having completely disintegrated, posing a significant safety risk. To prevent further deterioration and ensure the safety of all who enter, the affected boards had to be removed to allow airflow beneath the floor. As a result, seating capacity within the church has been reduced to 50%.

This has had a profound impact on church life. Accessibility has been affected, the visual beauty of the interior has been compromised, and the reduced seating has limited our ability to host larger services and celebrations. This has had an impact on weddings and seasonal services for local schools, affecting a vital part of the church’s ministry and outreach.

The cost of repairing the floor is substantial, and sadly, the church does not have the financial resources required to undertake the work independently. We are therefore reaching out, in faith and hope, to our local community and beyond to ask for support. Our fundraising target was £170,000 to cover repairs to both the floor and the walls, which would allow essential repair work to begin and help secure the future of this historic place of worship. 

We are very grateful for £30,000 which has already been promised towards the work on the floor, reducing the amount we need to raise to £140,000. If we are fortunate enough to meet our target, we will be able to repair the floor as well as the walls where there is internal falling masonry. Any additional funds raised will be used towards future repairs. We will also be exploring further grants for support.

If St Andrew’s holds special memories for you — perhaps you were married, baptised, or have found comfort and support here, or if this church has played a meaningful role in the life of you or your family — we would be deeply grateful for any contribution you are able to make.

If you’d like to find out more about our fundraising, the church itself or what we can offer you and your family, you are very welcome to come to the church and join our services or pop in during our open mornings (Mondays – Wednesdays 10am-12pm).

We recognise that many people are facing financial pressures at this time. If you are unable to donate, we kindly ask for your prayers and for your help in sharing this appeal with others, whether by email or social media, so that it may reach those who are able to give.

Thank you for your generosity, your prayers, and your support as we seek to preserve St Andrew’s Church for future generations — as a living place of faith, worship, and welcome.

Find us online at: www.standrewsgorleston.org.uk or on Facebook: St. Andrew’s Church Gorleston

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 21st July 2026 at 11:23am