THE management committee of the historic Church House at South Tawton will be keeping their fingers crossed this week, pending the outcome of a funding application being decided tomorrow (Friday).

The Grade II*Listed building was recently awarded a huge grant of £274,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, to pay for repairs and refurbishment of the building. But the HLF requires matched funding to be in place before the cash can be drawn down ? and the management committee are short of £6,383.

Funding applications to various charitable bodies have been submitted but have yet to be processed, so Dartmoor National Park Authority officers are recommending a proposal to grant the committee a loan for the shortfall, enabling the most urgent repairs to be carried out.

The loan would be granted on a short-term basis, on condition it was repaid by the end of March next year.

The Church House is one of the best examples of its type in the country, and dates from the late 15th century. It is unusual in the fact it has remained in community use for more than 500 years and contains an extremely rare, smoke-blackened mediaeval thatched roof.

It was used initially as an ale house, later as a poor house and school and housed troops during the second world war.

The HLF grant will enable the committee to re-thatch the roof using traditional methods, renovate the fabric of the building, upgrade access and improve its facilities. During the work, special open days will be held enabling visitors to catch a glimpse of craftsmen at work. The project should be completed by August next year.

Dartmoor National Park Authority will make its decision on the loan during its meeting at Bovey Tracey tomorrow.