The Dorset Historic Churches Trust

Analysis

The Dorset Historic Churches Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Dorchester. It was registered in August 1971, 55 years ago. Its declared purposes cover religious activities, arts/culture/heritage/science and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under religion. Legally it is a charitable trust. It says it makes grants to organisations and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Dorset Historic Churches Trust reported income of £152k and spending of £135k, spending 88% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income fell from £159k to £152k (-4.1%), an average of -1.0% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income dropped by 24%. Over the whole period it spent 98% of the income it received.

Among 20,496 England and Wales charities whose main cause is religion and that reported income, The Dorset Historic Churches Trust sits at the 72nd percentile: it is larger than about 72% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 77th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Sikh Gurdwara South London (£152k), Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of Peterchurch (£153k) and Benhill Gospel Hall Trust (£152k).