700-year-old church finds £30,000 in gold coins hidden beneath altar
A 700-year-old church in Lancashire avoided closure after an anonymous donor left gold coins worth £30,000 beneath its altar. The funds will help cover urgent repair costs that the small congregation was previously unable to afford.
Why it matters
This discovery provides a rare financial lifeline for the preservation of historic cultural and religious heritage sites facing economic decline.
For centuries, St Wilfrid's Church has stood above the village of Melling, near Lancaster, serving generations of worshippers while its medieval stonework quietly weathered the passing years. But by 2026, the future of the historic church looked increasingly uncertain. Its tiny congregation was struggling to raise the money needed for major repairs, with the estimated cost reaching around £750,000. Then, while preparing the church for what could have been one of its final Easter services, Reverend Jane Lee noticed something unexpected beneath the altar. A plastic bag was protruding from underneath the wedding kneeler. Inside was a box containing nine gold Britannia coins, accompanied by a handwritten note from an anonymous donor.
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