What £20,000 Can Buy You...

A couple of weekends ago, I toured six churches.     It was Church Heritage weekend.      Here in Lincolnshire we have hundreds of country churches, some small, others large, many are loved, but there are some neglected ones.

This church had been on my 'To Visit' list for a long time, several years, in fact.    It wasn't listed on the heritage trail, but it was only about a mile away from two others which I intended to see, so I added it on.

It is built in a tiny medieval village, medieval in layout, that is, the tiny bit is obvious when I tell you that the population of the village is just 35.          The church is just off the village green, in a slightly elevated position.       From a distance it didn't look too bad, but as I walked towards it, I could see that the lead was missing from the church roof, definitely not a good sign. 

It still looked pretty wonderful, though.   The colour of the stone, the repairs, the whole look of the church appealed to me. 

I fought my way through the nettles and long grass only to find that the door was locked and that there was a 'Police Aware' sign on the board.     It seems that the lead has been stolen more than once.

From what I have read, it seems as though the lead may have been stolen as far back as 2011.

Crumbling old stone, clambering invasive plants, no lead on the roof, one can only imagine the state of the interior.       Once home, I started doing some internet searches, trying to find out why this beautiful 13th century church is so neglected.

Once well loved, supported by a fairly wealthy family, the church simply fell out of use because of the dwindling congregation versus the cost of upkeep, it was eventually declared redundant.       Decay set in, exacerbated when the lead was stolen off the roof. 

Centuries of patching the place up, keeping it going, old red bricks and yellow stone, emergency sheeting battened down on the roof and doing little to stop the water pouring in the big hole which was a bit further up on the roof.

A beautiful little village church.

I had mixed feelings when I read that it had been up for sale, for years.   Twenty thousand pounds was the price, it was stated that it was to be used for running a small business, or for community purposes.      Ha!  was my reaction.     I read a few more reports, found that it was sold, subject to contract and that permission had been sought to change the purchase conditions and planning permission. 

The purchaser, or their architect,  has got a London agent on board and has now got permission to turn this listed church into a home.   They originally planned to make it into a three bedroom house, with the bedrooms in the church tower, but the difficulties of access for the third bedroom now means that it will become a two bedroom house.

Off road parking will be carved into the slightly elevated grounds.     If anyone wants access to the graves and outdoor monuments they will have to write for permission.    Some of the monuments indoors will be kept, no mention of what they will do with the rest - sell them, presumably.

I am glad I took the opportunity to have a look around, but almost wish that I hadn't, I feel so incensed at it all - the theft, the lack of maintenance, the sleight of hand with permissions, etc, all mixed in with relief that the building will be saved.

Someone, with money, is going to get a beautiful home. 

A building saved, but a treasure lost.