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Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 7
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Topic: Save our Churches !!!!! (Read 5583 times)
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Lynn H
RootsChat Member
Posts: 177
Save our Churches & Graves.
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On watching the news the other day i was horrified at the amount of churches being destroyed or sold because they are not being used. I don't know if other people will agree with me but i think that our churches could be used to benifit all the people who are into genealogy and family history, because after all this is where it all starts. They showed a church that had been divided into two parts, at the rear of the church was an area for community use with computers in it. Why can't all the small churches be transformed like this and charge a small fee for the use of it. This would mean that our churches would be open when people want to access the registers without making an appointment, because as you know it is very hard to get into them as they are locked all the time. Im sure that they could get lots of volenteers to help. This is just one way to SAVE OUR CHURCHES!!!! Thanx for taking the time to read this Lynn H.
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« Last Edit: Thursday 27 September 07 16:03 UTC (UK) by Berlin-Bob »
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aghadowey
Global Moderator
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 13614
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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A few years ago we visited a former church in Scotland which had been converted to a shop for local crafts and tea room. It was really lovely and I think the building was used as a local community centre.
P.S. on the same visit saw one which was now a furniture store and while it was better than tearing down the building it did seem rather sad.
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Pels.
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 5415
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I have to agree Lynn - if only to benefit those who still want to be baptised, married or have their funeral held there! 
Not forgetting all those people who still choose to worship .. ..
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behindthefrogs
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 4248
EDLIN
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How many thousands of pounds are you willing to contribute to allow this to happen? It is very well being sentimental about old churches the problem is quite simply that someone needs to pay for their upkeep. In most cases charging a small fee would not be sufficient to maintain them.
David
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Living in Berkshire. From Northampton & Milton Keynes DETAILS OF THE FOLLOWING NAMES ARE IN SURNAME INTERESTS, LINK AT FOOT OF PAGE Wilson, Higgs, Buswell, PARCELL, Matthews, TAMKIN, Seckington, Pates, Coupland, Webb, Arthur, MAYNARD, Caves, Norman, Winch, Culverhouse, Drakeley. Johnson, Routledge, SHIRT, SAICH, Mills, SAUNDERS, EDLIN, Perry, Vickers, Pakeman, Griffiths, Marston, Turner, Child, Sheen, Gray, Woolhouse Census Info is Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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CatOne
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 5126
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Well, I like the idea. I'm fed up with bits of our heritage been constantly chipped away and beautiful old buildings being replaced with modern ugly boxes. I look at photos of the town I live in from 100 years ago and its virtually unrecognisable. 
If they were community run projects, the money could be raised from activities held there (exercise classes, coffee mornings, tea dances, party hire, play groups, etc) and council taxes, etc, most people would prefer our money to be spent on a place that would benefit the whole community, I'm sure, than some of the things our councils come up with to spend our money on!
And if they were private ventures like tearooms/crafts centres, they'd run at a profit and make enough money to maintain the building, the same as they would have to if they were based in any other building
The only good thing they've done in my town is convert an old church into an arts centre and cafe. Its working very well I believe, so these things can be done if the councils really want to..... (the trouble is I think they see pound signs at the thought of selling them off to developers to convert into rabbit hutch houses)
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Dunning/Downing, Osborn/e, Astley -Cheshire/Birmingham/Middlesex Fanthorpe/Hall/Driffill/Storm - Lincolnshire Bower/Woodward/Bingham/Pettinger/Shaw - Nottinghamshire Shaw, Marland - Lancashire Broph(e)y - Queens County, Ireland Richards - Neath Swansea Hunt/Fox - Lincs, Waterfield/Middleton - Staffs Hart/Harland/Askew/Scales - Yorkshire Brereton/Vickers - Cheshire Gleaves/Sandford/Hulse/Hulme - Wolstanton/Audley Staffs Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov |
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MarieC
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 3300
In Queensland, Oz
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I guess at least the registers will be given to the County Records Office if churches are de-consecrated.
I agree that it is very sad when churches are closed, but if the congregation becomes so small that the church is unsustainable, there is little alternative.
MarieC
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Martins in London and Wales, Lockwoods in Yorkshire, Hartleys in London, Lichfield and Brighton, Hubands and Smiths in Ireland, Bentleys in London and Yorkshire, Denhams in Somerset, Scoles in London, Meyers in London, Cooks in Northumberland
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MarieC
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 3300
In Queensland, Oz
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Graveyards - I think that is even worse because those are our ancestors lying there and they will be lost to us forever!! 
MarieC
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Martins in London and Wales, Lockwoods in Yorkshire, Hartleys in London, Lichfield and Brighton, Hubands and Smiths in Ireland, Bentleys in London and Yorkshire, Denhams in Somerset, Scoles in London, Meyers in London, Cooks in Northumberland
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suzard
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 10287
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"If they were community run projects, the money could be raised from activities held there (exercise classes, coffee mornings, tea dances, party hire, play groups, "
many of our local churches have to boost their income by holding classes., play groups, party hire etc and these classes are very often run by volunteers, so i don't think a place could be sustained by these activities alone
The churches /chapels in the locality of my youth have all except one had a change of use - one is a light fitting warehouse (for past 20 years) one has been demolished and a tyre fitting place built on the site (30+ years ago)-one is now residential accomodation (10years) and a beautiful old village church close to me was demolished 30 years ago and a modern hall built in its place, which is still used for worshipping, but also as the village school hall, and is available for hire-the floor is marked out as a badminton court!
On the other hand, there is a village quite close to me where the church "own" most of the village - the church is still thriving, it has bought the local post office and general store (which is run by church members), has its own nursery, alms houses, and several houses in the village.
Suz
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Thornhill, Cresswell, Sisson, Harriman, Cripps, Eyre, Walter, Marson, Battison, Holmes, Bailey, Hardman, Fairhurst Noon-mainly in Derbys/Notts-but also Northampton, Oxford, Leics, Lancs-England Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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Lydart
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 3566
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It is always sad to see churches closed. But being realistic, it can cost (heating, insurance, maintainence) many thousands per year to even keep the smallest village church open. Our local church is a mile out of the village centre (the village moved from around it at the time of the black death !). So although it is used and well attended for marriages and funerals, it is sparsely attended on Sundays by the 'faithful' ... who are getting older. If we are practicing Christians, we should in theory tithe a percentage of our annual income to the church ... I think 5% is the suggested amount. But 5% of the pension of OAP's who still attend isn't enough to pay the tens of thousands a church has to find every year; hence all those coffee mornings, church fete's etc. The clergy aren't paid out of what is put in the plate on a Sunday ... they receive a stipend from the Diocese, and for that, have to minister in several churches in widely separated parishes. (I am talking country parishes here). Where do the dioceses get the money to pay the clergy ? Each parish has to pay a 'parish share' into the coffers .... so add that to the insurance, heating, repair costs !
So when you visit a well-known cathedral, don't be aghast when you see the notices about how much it costs to keep the place open to the public ... dig deep into your pockets, and pay up ! Small rural churches are quite a different kettle of fish. Many have to be kept locked (very sad) but if they are open when you visit to find your ancestors graves, then be generous and put money made of paper into the box on the wall ... a few pennies are just an insult to the unseen faithful who clean the church, do the flowers, cut the grass ...
When it comes to using churches for other purposes, yes, this is an excellent idea in towns ... I cite All Saints in Hereford as a good example of multi-useage .... they have converted a side chapel into an exhibition room for hire by outside persons; there is a vegetarian cafe (run as a business by others) at the back of the church; there are loo's ... and the main body of the church is still in use as a worship space. But this sort of thing can't be financed by the average small parish .... the cafe at All Saints was the turning point for that church, in that the church benefits from the rent.
So its a good idea for churches to be multi-purpose these days ... and even multi-faith ... but don't forget that like most things these days, it all comes down to MONEY !
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Dorset/Wilts/Hants: Trowbridge, Williams, Sturney, Prince, Foyle, Fripp, Triggle ... and more C'wall/Devon/CANADA (The Cariboo, B.C.): Pomeroy Som'set: Clark(e) Durham: Law London: Poplett Lancs/Cheshire/CANADA (B.C.): Stubbs, Walmesley WRITE LETTERS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO TREASURE ... EMAILS DISAPPEAR FOREVER ! Census information Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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meles
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 3106
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Some friends in Holland go to a church where the congregation voted to demolish it and build flats for the elderly and vulnerable others. They built a new church, meeting rooms, cafe etc adjacent. They all share a communal garden. It was a very succesful project, and boosted the congregation.
meles
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Brock: Alburgh, Norfolk, and after 1850, London; Tooley: Norfolk Grimmer: Norfolk; Grimson: Norfolk Harrison: London; Pollock Dixon: Hampshire; Collins: Middx Jeary: Norfolk; Davison: Norfolk Rogers: London; Bartlett: London Drew: Kent; Alden: Hants Gamble: Yorkshire; Huntingford: East London Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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Lydart
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 3566
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One problem Meles, is that many, many old country churches, and quite a lot of the town ones, are Grade 1 or Grade 2 listed buildings, so can't be demolished, or altered ....
Listing can be a double edged sword ... preserving ancient buildings, but also preventing any sort of alterations for modern useage. All Saints in Hereford managed it with the cafe, by building it as a sort of separate building inside the church, complete with extra seating upstairs .... nothing attached to the ancient walls !
Anyone going near Hereford ... GO AND SEE IT ! The food is excellent (and no, I'm not a share-holder !)
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Dorset/Wilts/Hants: Trowbridge, Williams, Sturney, Prince, Foyle, Fripp, Triggle ... and more C'wall/Devon/CANADA (The Cariboo, B.C.): Pomeroy Som'set: Clark(e) Durham: Law London: Poplett Lancs/Cheshire/CANADA (B.C.): Stubbs, Walmesley WRITE LETTERS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO TREASURE ... EMAILS DISAPPEAR FOREVER ! Census information Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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Elliebob
RootsChat Senior
Posts: 444
Maggie Wright 1889-1949
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Thank you Lydart for summing up so well what I would like to say. The cost of maintaining the services and fabric of a grade 1 listed building are huge for a small congregation. Church of England congregations (as the Established Church) pay to keep the church open for everyone to have the right to use them.
I am a churchwarden of our parish (population 500) church and we are currently altering all the seating to make the building more suitable for community use inclucing the village school to have a place for PE, drama etc. We need to make sure that we retain the prime purpose of the church for worship.
As a church council we are determined that our building should be open during each day so that those who wish can use it for private or learn about their forbears!
Ellen
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Court, Stratford on Avon, Dorsington, Welford
Faulkner,Glos/Warwicks
Higgins, Quinton
Bennett, Stoke on Trent
Stride, Hampshire
Wright, Stoke on Trent
McConnell, Co Donegal
Brooks, Co Donegal, Antrim
Jackson, Warwickshire/Isle of Wight/India/army
Keefe, Essex, Hampshire/Isle of Wight/army/india<br, Queensland aus. />Chatfield, Sussex
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