FEATURE / WHAT PRICE WORSHIP
St Giles’ church Shipbourne
All Saints church Birling
Neville family, who were gifted the church by Henry VIII in the mid-16th century, for services rendered.
Rich heritage
These are just a few examples of the fascinating churches, both ancient and more recent, that pepper the countryside of north Kent – and there are many more. All offer unique perspectives and insights into the life of the county over the centuries and all are cherished and revered by their congregations. However, sadly these venerable structures share one other less enviable characteristic – they are all falling rapidly into disrepair.
Lottery legacy
The good news is that at least some help is at hand. This comes primarily in the form of support from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), which in recent years has made grants totalling more than £3 million for the purposes of restoring and refurbishing religious buildings in the south east of England. Among nine important edifi ces in Kent
that are to receive funding, the Grade I listed All Saints parish church at Birling has been promised a total of £324,000 to help shore up its ancient, crumbling walls. Similarly, the HLF has recently awarded development funding of £19,100 to assist St Mary’s, Hadlow, in advancing its plans for a full grant, to be conferred later this year or early next. Here the requirement for funding and practical assistance is particularly pressing, as evidenced by the
pieces of fallen masonry and ancient stone that can often be seen around the base of the church tower.
A number of other churches in north Kent have been the benefi ciaries of funding from the HLF. Alternative funding bodies also play a key role in sustaining the churches of both Kent and the rest of the country, either independently or in collaboration with the HLF. These include other direct funders, such as the National Churches Trust, dedicated charities like the Churches Conservation Trust and other church heritage organisations, in partnership through the Places of Worship @ the Heritage Alliance group.
Worship, work & worry
Clearly, there is much being done to support the ancient churches of our county – but it is not nearly enough. The old buildings continue to crumble and fade and their
largely dwindling congregations struggle to maintain these important institutions. Of course, it is all too easy to speculate about how the decline in church-going and religious faith in general might have contributed to an encroaching malaise in ecclesiastical architectural preservation, but it is undeniable that congregations are shrinking and church attendance is down (see Decline in Church Attendance, far left). However, there is a growing appreciation that, while churches have always been and will always be primarily places of worship, they can be so much more besides, in what many view as an increasingly godless world. This awareness is not lost on the Churches Conservation Trust, for example, whose website states: Many of our churches are ideal venues for events, ranging from farmers’ markets to fl ower festivals. If you are looking for a unique venue, why not get in touch? – See more at
www.visitchurches.org. uk/Aboutus/Ourpartners
MAKE A DONATION
At this most holy time of year, why not make a donation to support your local church? The websites of the Churches Conservation Trust and of all those churches featured in this article are given here. Follow the links to make your valuable contribution towards saving the ancient churches of north Kent: • Churches Conservation Trust (www.
visitchurches.org.uk)
• Tonbridge parish church of St Peter and St Paul (www.
tonbridgeparishchurch.org.uk) • Hadlow parish church of St Mary’s (
www.stmaryshadlow.org.uk) • Shipbourne parish church of St Giles (
www.shipbourne.com/stgiles.htm) • Birling parish church of All Saints (
www.bartcombinedbenefi
ce.org.uk/ birling.htm)
The INDEX magazine
www.indexmagazine.co.uk 21
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