St Wilfrid’s church in Melling, Lancashire, was on the brink of closure after failing to raise £750,000 for urgent repairs, but an anonymous gift of nine gold Britannia coins worth nearly £30,000 has given the congregation new hope. The Rev Jane Lee described the discovery as 'like a miracle' and 'the answer to their prayers'.
Discovery on Good Friday
The Rev Jane Lee, 54, and a parishioner found the coins on Good Friday while preparing the church for morning prayers. The coins were in a box inside a plastic bag hidden under the altar. 'We just burst into tears when we saw it,' Lee told the Times. 'We couldn’t believe it. It was like a miracle because it’s so desperately needed for the church.'
The nine Britannia coins, produced by the Royal Mint in 1999, had a face value of £100 each but sold for nearly £30,000. 'We were both absolutely flabbergasted,' Lee said.
Anonymous donor identified as 'James'
The coins were accompanied by a note written on Salvation Army paper, dated 16 July 2022, at 11am. It read: 'Hi there, I’d like to donate these nine gold Britannias to Melling church,' and was signed from 'James, servant of the living God'. Despite efforts by church and diocesan officials, the benefactor has not been identified. Similar gifts were left to at least two other Lancashire churches in 2022: gold coins in the donation box of a church in Hornby and behind the door of another in Quernmore. Lee believes the coins at St Wilfrid’s were left by the same anonymous donor four years ago and lay undiscovered until now.
Church facing closure
St Wilfrid’s, which has a congregation of only five, was in the process of closing when the gold was discovered. The church needed £750,000 for repairs to the roof, stained glass windows, and other parts of the building. 'We were struggling to keep our doors open,' Lee said. The current building dates to the 14th century, though a church has probably been on the site since before 1066.
Coins as a 'seed' for fundraising
Lee said the gold coins would be used as a 'seed' to apply for future grants and launch fundraising campaigns to complete the necessary repairs. Following the discovery, a heritage group has been set up to help with repair costs. 'That gives us hope, because it’s now not just the little congregation fighting to make this happen,' Lee said. 'We’ve got a wider community behind us who are willing to help.'
Bishop calls gift a 'sign of hope'
The Right Rev Philip North, the bishop of Blackburn, said the gift was a 'sign of hope'. 'It shows how loved the building is,' he said. 'It shows that when we trust, God will provide. It would be an absolute tragedy for this church to close. This gift has doubled our determination to restore it for the benefit of the whole community.'
