It does also have a church.
A recent village survey showed 95% of the high proportion who responded thought it was important to keep a functioning church and while over 100 attended the carol service last year; regular attendees have dwindled and income has dropped so that the available funds for maintenance and repair are very thin. It is a challenge for the PCC to know whether it is better to spend their limited funds on the roof and the walls or loos and heating. Added comfort would undoubtedly make it easier to widen the use for the building and bring in more people. A listed building has to have a viable use if it is to survive.
Different tastes and styles over the last 800 years have left their mark on the church. A 12th century font; a 13th century tower; a 15th century stained glass window; a 16th century north aisle and porch and lots of 19th century restoration and addition including by the gothic revival architect William White. In 1842 George Wightwick designed a reredos to which marble work was added in 1890 by R.M.Fulford.
The reredos was funded by one of my ancestors. The work added to it in 1890 was funded by another of my ancestors. The trouble is that the reredos blocks out the east window behind the altar and it has always looked awkward.
It has now started to deteriorate. The ironwork holding the stone together has started to fail probably due to damp.Segments of stone are starting to come loose.
We now have a health and safety problem. Another of my ancestors- in this case my uncle who died last year-left a little money (£50!) in his will towards the removal of the reredos. Would removal and the consequent saving of money on repairs not be a sensible course of action? Would it not leave money for other investments to help the future of the church?It is after all a lack of heat and ventilation that has caused its deterioration. Could the reredos be useful somewhere else where there is the money to restore it properly and a better location for it?
These are typical of the sort of dilemmas faced by those responsible for looking after historic buildings.The question will be- how will the faculty procedure of the Church of England deal with this one?
