A church in Cumbria is set to get running water for the first time in nearly 1,000 years.

St James’ Church in Great Ormside dates back to at least the 11th century, but since then, all its water has had to be carried in via containers.

It's now received a £10,000 grant from the Headley Trust to connect it to a mains water supply. The funding was made on the recommendation of the National Churches Trust which says the church is built on the site of a man-made mound which dates back to pre-Christian times.

As well as providing a drainage supply, the funding will be used to install a toilet and small kitchen. Many people had stopped attending the church because of a facilities and it hadn’t been able to hold school and community events.

The treasurer of St James, Sally Ridley said the church was “extremely grateful for the help of the National Churches Trust, the Headley Trust and those who have donated money to them, in trying to achieve our ambition to make this historic church more welcoming and useful to our generation and those who will come after us.

“The church door is never locked, and we want it to remain a quiet and safe place for all who come.

“I do so hope that the church will still be open and able to carry on ministering to the spiritual needs of many in years to come”.

Ormside means “the seat of Orm (a Viking)” and a bowl dating from the 7th or 8th century, was unearthed in the churchyard in 1823. The Ormside Bowl is now on display in the Yorkshire Museum and is regarded as one of the country's most valuable and rare Anglo Saxon artefacts. In 1898 a Viking burial of a warrior with his sword (which is now in Tullie House museum in Carlisle) was discovered in the churchyard.