“There Will Come a Day That We Will Run Out of Money”: Lincoln Cathedral Needs Urgent Repairs It Cannot Fund

• Lincoln Cathedral needs urgent repairs to its south side but lacks the money
• It is already carrying out £2.3 million of work on its 13th-century Chapter House
• Running the cathedral costs about £15,000 a day
• The Dean says English cathedrals get no regular help for the fabric of their buildings

Lincoln Cathedral, once the tallest building in the world, needs urgent repairs to its south side but does not have the money to carry them out, Premier Christian News reported in April 2026.

The cathedral is already undertaking £2.3 million of restoration on its 13th-century Chapter House. Its operating costs are about £15,000 a day. English cathedrals receive no regular funding from the government or the Church of England to maintain their buildings, relying instead on local fundraising, private donations and grants.

The Very Rev Dr Simon Jones, Dean of Lincoln, was blunt. “There will come a day that we will run out of money. That’s the reality we face,” he said. “English cathedrals get no support for the fabric of the building from the church commissioners, the Church of England or from the government.” He added: “The current funding model for our cathedral and all cathedrals isn’t sustainable. It doesn’t work.”

The Church Commissioners said they “recognise the challenges of maintaining historic buildings” and pointed to other support they provide, including stipends and clergy costs.

Lincoln’s warning is relevant to Jamaica’s great churches, from Spanish Town’s cathedral to parish churches built in the colonial era. Large historic buildings cost a lot every day to run and maintain, and congregations alone rarely cover it. For Jamaica, the lesson is that heritage churches need a clear funding plan involving government, heritage bodies, tourism income and the diaspora before urgent repairs become emergencies.

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