THE REMOVAL of a medieval Suffolk church from the Heritage at Risk Register will be one of English Heritage’s top priorities, it can be revealed.

The Church of St Mary in Ickworth Park, near Bury St Edmunds, is one of 10 sites in the region identified as a “priority”.

Structural work has already begun on the historic building after the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) awarded �714,500 to The Ickworth Church Conservation Trust to repair and conserve what is the oldest building on the Ickworth Estate. As part of the preservation works to the church building, the internal fabric and fittings of the church will be conserved including the medieval wall paintings, stained glass, harmonium and church clock.

A spokeswoman for Ickworth said: “We are delighted that the Ickworth Church Conservation Trust has secured the funding and started work on restoring this important and special church on behalf of the nation and especially for visitors to the Ickworth Estate.”

It is hoped the church will be open by the summer of 2013.

Other buildings on English Heritage’s priority register are:

St Osyth’s Priory, St Osyth, Tendring;

Chantry Chapel and Mausoleum, Thorndon Park, Brentwood, Essex;

Church of St Mary the Virgin (Old Parish Church), Clophill, Bedfordshire;

Elstow Manor House (Remains of), Elstow, Bedford; Knebworth House, Knebworth, Hertfordshire;

Langham Airfield Dome, Langham, Norfolk;

Remains of Augustinian Priory Gatehouse, Pentney, Norfolk;

St George’s Theatre, St George’s Plain, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.ty Mill, Tilty, Essex.