This 700-Year-Old English Church Nearly Closed—but Then the Vicar Discovered a Stash of Gold Coins Under the Altar
Reported bySmithsonian Smart News ↗·Sourced by Goodlede
St. Wilfrid's Church in Melling, Lancashire, facing closure due to inability to fund £750,000 in urgent repairs, discovered nine 1999 Britannias gold coins (valued at just under £30,000) hidden in a box beneath the altar on Easter, left by an anonymous donor identified only as 'James' in a note dated July 16, 2022.
The £30,000 represents a 'seed' that church leaders hope will catalyze further funding, but it covers only a fraction of the £750,000 needed for full repairs.
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