Originally published in Christian Today
Construction is set to begin this week on what is being described as Britain’s largest Christian monument, after the team behind the project met an initial £40 million (R907 669 million) fundraising target.
The Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer, to be built near Coleshill between the M6 and M42 motorways outside Birmingham.
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It will stand at 51m tall — more than twice the height of the Angel of the North — in the shape of a Möbius strip.
The monument will be made of one million bricks, each linked to a story of “answered prayer” that can be accessed via smartphones. Organisers said about 120 000 such stories have already been submitted from 125 countries.
A groundbreaking ceremony is taking place on Wednesday. The monument is expected to open to the public in 2028 when it is hoped it will feature a total of 250 000 prayer stories.
The project has received support from more than 20 000 donors worldwide, according to its developers.
Richard Gamble, a former Leicester City football club chaplain who founded the initiative, said he first conceived the idea more than two decades ago and spent the past 10 years gathering support.
“I am delighted we are creating a monument that will share a million stories of hope and that people will be able to discover Jesus, who listens to and answers prayer. We have faced many delays and challenges. I believe the timing is perfect,” he said.
“Everyone at Eternal Wall is deeply grateful to the thousands of people who have backed this project according to their ability – for every pound donated, every hour volunteered, and every prayer offered to bring us to this point.
“This is the moment to build a landmark of hope… a lasting testimony to the power of prayer, preserving the Christian heritage in our nation.”
The project has been designed by Snug Architects, selected through a Royal Institute of British Architects competition, with VSL appointed as the main contractor.
Land for the monument was donated by IM Properties, owned by Midlands businessman Lord Edmiston, whose company also contributed to the construction costs.
Organisers expect the site to attract about 250 000 visitors annually once completed. The plans include 10 acres of landscaped grounds, a car park and, in later stages, a visitor centre and conference facility.
An additional £5.7 million (about R129.5 million) is still needed to complete the site’s infrastructure, the group said.
Lord Edmiston said: “Eternal Wall is designed to remind our nation, and people everywhere, of God’s goodness.
“It is a testament to present and future generations of the creator of the universe who has answered numerous prayers over centuries past and still is answering them today.
“If we don’t remember the God who stood by us in our darkest hours as a nation, then we are condemned to have a future absent of his divine guidance and protection. I am therefore proud that my company has had the opportunity of being a significant donor to this project.”
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