Reordering

The Rector and Churchwardens applied for a faculty for the installation of a WC in the north-west corner of the church, the replacement of the pipe organ with an electronic organ, the re-siting of some pews, and the rearrangement of some windows. The only contentious item was the removal of the pipe organ to accommodate the WC facilities. The pipe organ had been installed in the 1950s and was of doubtful provenance. The Chancellor granted a faculty.

The Chancellor granted a faculty authorising the erection of an extension to the church to provide toilets and storage space. Access to the new facilities would be via the existing north door to the church and thus there would be no impact on the existing interior of the Grade I listed church.

The Vicar and Churchwardens petitioned for a faculty to permit the creation of a new servery, the removal of a timber narthex screen from the rear of the church and improvements to the toilet facilities. Objections were received from English Heritage and the Church Buildings Council in relation to the removal of the narthex screen. The guidelines contained in the Court of Arches judgment in Re St. Alkmund Duffield [2013] were considered by the Deputy Chancellor. Faculty granted.

The Chancellor granted a Faculty to authorise the replacement of the existing wet gas-fired central heating system with a new gas-fired system with new pipework and radiators. There was one party opponent, a member of the PCC, who had argued, inter alia, that the proposed system, unlike an electrical system, would not meet carbon emission reduction targets. But the Diocesan Advisory Committee had considered alternative proposals and recommended the gas-fired wet system as the most appropriate.

The proposal was to add a single-storey extension at the north-west corner of the Grade I listed church, to provide a lobby, kitchen, servery, a Garden Room, a storeroom and toilets. Fourteen members of the congregation submitted letters of objection in response to the public notices. The main ground for objection was the potential impact of the extension on the Memorial Garden which it would overlook, that it would be a cause of upset to the family members of those whose ashes are interred there and prevent its use for quiet reflection and remembrance. The Chancellor was satisfied that the petitioners had made a good case for the proposed works and granted a faculty.

The proposed works included the installation of four toilets and a foldaway servery at the east end of the north aisle of the Grade I listed church. The works required the removal of 18 pews with associated pew platforms, together with the removal of central heating and pipework from the pews. The floor would be excavated and a new floor laid with underfloor heating installed. Two memorial features would need to be relocated. The Victorian Society, whilst accepting that some pews needed to be removed, regarded 18 as too many. The Chancellor was satisfied that the petitioners had made a good case for the proposals, which would provide some much-needed basic facilities, and granted a faculty.

Faculty granted for repairs to tower louvres. One objector with reservations about the operation of the faculty system and as to the quality of works commissioned by the Parochial Church Council. Chancellor satisfied that the works were needed and that the proposed manner of performing them was appropriate

A faculty petition relating to a proposed reordering was dismissed on the basis that the petitioners had failed to comply with the Faculty Jurisdiction Rules, in particular with regard to not giving proper notice of the proposals.

The proposals for the Grade I listed church included the removal of the fixed pews in the nave, north aisle and choir, and their replacement with new moveable pew benches; also, the installation of underfloor heating. The Commissary General granted a faculty, but expressed concern that a contract had been signed with the contractor before the petition had been referred to her.

It was proposed to create space in the nave, to allow for a wide range of worship, social and cultural activities in the Grade I church. The works included removing 17 pews (some from the nave and some from the Lady Chapel); levelling the floor; moving the font from near the south door to the Lady Chapel; improving the layout of the chancel by the removal of some of the pews; removal of the 1944 communion rail; conversion of the Lady Chapel altar to allow the storage of altar linen; and the creation of new cupboard storage space. The Chancellor was not satisfied that a good case had been made for the moving of the font from near the south door, nor for removing the pews from the Lady Chapel, but he granted a faculty for the other items.