Brecon Cathedral is set to undergo a major transformation thanks to a £2,041,756 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The funding, alongside additional grants totalling £745,000, will support the ‘People | Passion | Priory: Brecon Cathedral, The Heart and Soul of Community’ project, which aims to transform the cathedral into a destination visitor hub while safeguarding its historic fabric.

Plans include a new fully accessible entrance, improvements to the piazza, and new ways to interpret the cathedral’s interior for all visitors. Urgent re-roofing work will also offer NVQ Level-3 heritage training for 18 young or career-changing roofers, ensuring the project benefits the wider community.

The interior will be reorganised to create a communal space at the heart of the building, capable of hosting exhibitions, concerts, plays and a range of community events. Stories of the cathedral’s famous people and the turbulent episodes of Welsh and British history will be brought to life for visitors.

The Very Reverend Dr Paul Shackerley, Dean of Brecon, said: “Our home team and consultants are absolutely delighted that our vision for the future of Brecon Cathedral can now be realised thanks to The National Lottery players and our additional funders. Now we can start work, fixing decades of urgent repairs, offering a safe and accessible welcome to all who visit and sharing the excitement we all feel for our historyand culture, whilst enhancing our position at the heart of community. The project will ensure the cathedral with its history, heritage and outward facing mission is here for future generations to enjoy as we have. We have an ambitious events programme planned to accompany the work and I know that every visitor will find something of interest. Please come and see for yourself.”

Work will be phased and begin in March 2026 with the opening of a new west entrance, followed by interior reordering and the replacement of the south transept roofs over the summer. Further roofing work is scheduled in the coming years, with the project expected to be completed in 2028.

Andrew White, Director for Wales, The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, this funding will help Brecon Cathedral strengthen its role at the heart of the community, safeguard its heritage and create new ways for people to engage with its story for generations to come.”