Gillian Sharpe BBC Scotland news website

A church is thought to have stood on the site for hundreds of years

The minister, Reverend Robert Allan, said: "It's like any old building, the longer you leave it, the worse it gets."

It is still very well used by the community, but damp patches on the ceiling and the leaks when it rains are evidence of a roof and stonework which are showing their age.

It is believed that there has been a church on this town centre site for at least 1,200 years.

The appearance of one of the early buildings may have given rise to the name Egglesbreth, the speckled church, which translated into Scots became the Faw Kirk. It gave the town its name.

A building worth saving, not only for historical reasons but because of its position, it has the possibility of reaching into the town Reverend Robert Allan Funding boost for churches

The present church, which was mainly built in 1811, is the work of prominent architect James Gillespie Graham.

Other glimpses of the building's history include the graves of Sir John de Graeme and Sir John Stewart of Bonkhill, who fell fighting for William Wallace at the first Battle of Falkirk in 1298.

"This church is a real part of the history of Falkirk," said the Reverend Allan.

This, he added, "is a building worth saving, not only for historical reasons but because of its position, it has the possibility of reaching into the town".

The church has been earmarked for �62,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund and a similar amount from Historic Scotland. The money would help with the repair of the roof and high level masonry.