Parishioners at All Saints in Birling are delighted by the funding

Among nine places in Kent to receive funding is the Grade I listed All Saints in Birling, which has been promised �324,000 in total.

The Grade II listed World Mission Korean Presbyterian Church in Weybridge in Surrey has been awarded �219,000.

The grants from English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund total nearly �17m for 200 churches nationwide.

Churches to benefit in Kent All Saints, Birling, Tonbridge and Malling St Mary Magdalene, Longfield, Dartford St Leonard, Deal St Peter and St Paul, Dover St James, Bicknor, Maidstone All Saints, Graveney, Swale St Bartholomew, Bobbing, Swale St Cosman and St Damian, Challock, Ashford All Saints, Wouldham

Church warden Michael Noonan said: "Without the offer of an English Heritage and English Lottery Fund grant the parish couldn't even have considered, let alone undertaken, the repair works.

""This would have resulted in the chancel having to be shut off entirely."

The church has been promised �19,000 straight away, with a further �305,000 to follow.

'Deteriorating badly'

A spokesman for Pastor Ho-Keun Kim, of the World Mission Korean Presbyterian Church in Weybridge, said the grant had been a "dream come true".

"The church in Korea seemed to be losing interest and he was getting little support there.

"Also his parishioners were diminishing because the building was deteriorating badly."

The Repair Grants for Places of Worship Scheme supports urgent repairs to the fabric of religious buildings.

Churches are given an initial grant with more pledged to follow once development proposals are in place.