The Friends of Jurby Church say they are on course to secure the future of the historic building by the end of March 2026, following a series of major repair and restoration works.

The charity was awarded a grant from the Manx Lottery Trust in October last year to fund repairs and restoration to the church interior.

The move was followed in December by a grant from the Elizabeth Clucas Trust to support work on the tower and west side of the building.

Combined with money raised by the group during the summer, the funding has allowed significant progress to be made.

Restoration of the church tower was completed in mid-August, with work on the west side finished in October ahead of winter.

Despite earlier concerns about the condition of the building, the only major cracks discovered were in the west wing above the tower steps, caused by historic movement of the tower.

These were repaired successfully, with the exterior walls redecorated as part of the project.

The group says the completed works have transformed the appearance of the church, with new paths laid in the churchyard and burial ground adding further improvements.

Inside the building, work has included new kitchen and vestry floors, finished with vinyl covering, and the removal of an old vestry furniture unit.

Parts of the original worktop were recycled and repurposed as shelving in the kitchen.

Permission was granted to remove a raised platform beneath the altar table, along with a damaged section added in 1940.

Once removed, a joiner reconstructed the missing section, using oak believed to date back to renovations carried out in 1911.

Most of the original tiling beneath the altar was found to be intact and now requires minor repairs.

Additional improvements include the installation of new cupboards, shelving and a desk in the vestry, providing much-needed storage space. Further interior work is planned over the next three months, including re-laying the west porch floor and carrying out repairs to walls and windows, as funding allows.

Since being formed in 2014, the Friends of Jurby Church have raised more than £370,000 to maintain and repair the building, while also covering all running costs and insurance. The church has hosted regular exhibitions, attracting many thousands of visitors over the years.

However, the Friends say the pace of work has been demanding and is not sustainable in the long term. While the essential repairs are expected to be completed by March 2026, the group says attention must now turn to securing the church’s future beyond ongoing maintenance.

A recent quinquennial inspection report identified further work required, including repairs to the upper stage of the tower, lighting installation, work to floors and the removal of redundant electric heaters. The charity estimates around £10,000 will be needed to carry out these additional works.

The Friends say building up reserves will be essential to ensure Jurby Church remains a church at the heart of an important Manx heritage site.