English Heritage has announced a £2m funding package to repair 20 cathedrals across Britain.

The organisation, which acts as an advisory body for the government on conservation issues, announced most of the money would be used for roof and masonry repairs.

One of the biggest grants this year was received by the Lincoln Cathedral, which will be given £200,000 towards the ongoing restoration of the Dean’s Eye window.

The window dates back to 1220, and has been the subject of conservation work since 1988. With the new funding, officials are hoping to complete the restoration by 2006.

The fund is welcomed, as cathedrals such as Lincoln – which attracts around 200,000 visitors each year – need hundreds of thousands of pounds a year to keep services going.

Helen Brown, spokesperson for Lincoln cathedral, said: “We spend £50,000 a week just to keep the cathedral open. Maintenance, heating, repairs and electricity bills all add up to the running costs.”

The cathedral grants are now in their 14th year, and have, since 1991, provided some of the country’s most revered buildings with more than £40m.

Next year the annual grant will be halved, as only £1m will be made available for cathedrals. Funding will shift to cover parish churches.

The other cathedrals to receive funding this year were: Birmingham RC, Bristol, Chelmsford, Coventry, Durham, Exeter, Gloucester, Hereford, Leicester, Liverpool CoE, Newcastle CoE, Norwich CoE, Portsmouth CoE, Ripon, Sheffield CoE, Truro, St George’s Chapel, Windsor and Worcester. Details: www.english-heritage.co.uk or www.lincolncathedral.com