‘Like a miracle’: hidden gold saves Lancashire church from closure

The Guardian World Tuesday 07 July 2026, 15:17 UTC By Priya Bharadia 1 min read

Key Points

Anonymous gift of nine Britannia coins worth nearly £30,000 were discovered in a bag beneath the altarUnable to raise the £750,000 needed for urgent repairs, St Wilfrid’s Church looked likely to shut its doors after more than 700 years in the town of Melling, Lancashire. But, on Good Friday, the church was saved from closure by the discovery, in a plastic bag hidden under the altar, of a box with nine gold Britannia coins worth nearly £30,000.

Anonymous gift of nine Britannia coins worth nearly £30,000 were discovered in a bag beneath the altar

Unable to raise the £750,000 needed for urgent repairs, St Wilfrid’s Church looked likely to shut its doors after more than 700 years in the town of Melling, Lancashire.

But, on Good Friday, the church was saved from closure by the discovery, in a plastic bag hidden under the altar, of a box with nine gold Britannia coins worth nearly £30,000.

Lancashire (LOCATION) Anonymous (PERSON) Britannia (LOCATION) St Wilfrid’s (PERSON) Church (ORG) Melling (LOCATION)

Originally published by The Guardian World Read original →

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