A couple of days ago a full-page advertisement caught my eye and introduced me to the National Churches Trust. It invited subscriptions to the cause. And that cause is to ensure that these notable buildings remain ‘at the heart of the UK’s heritage’. NCT is the latest manifestation of concern for historic places of worship left vulnerable in a society in which Matthew Arnold’s ebbing of belief on Dover beach and elsewhere has seen them open to the possibility of becoming roofless ruins like Tintern. Without footing expensive maintenance bills, the custodians and guardians of these buildings cannot counter the worst that weather, thieves and parish depopulation can do.
But who are the custodians and guardians? To whom do parish churches belong? If rural churches have been the losers in the flight from country to town can the surviving parishioners, whether church-goers or not, be expected to assume responsibility? And if in urban areas residents scarcely know what parish they are in and where their parish church is, can they realistically be held responsible for a building they happen to see on the way to do the shopping?
Heritage is at the heart of this problem. Andrew Lloyd Webber and Huw Edwards have taken up the cudgels on behalf of vulnerable churches that now claim the attention of the NCT. And doubtless there are many English people who may or may not be Anglican worshippers who value our built heritage.
If heritage is at the heart of the problem, we have to ask: ‘Who owns our parish churches?’ This question reared its head at the Reformation. It is now on the agenda when the Established Church and other churches are under scrutiny in a secular society. Our heritage may be seen as belonging to the population as a whole, a priceless part of our national consciousness. It may be seen as a possession of the minority who retain in some sense a tenuous link to the Christian faith. It may be seen as an entitlement of the traditional hierarchs who are continuing the historic task of overseeing what is now the Established Church.
The NCT is a grant-conferring body that deserves support. ‘Our grants are available to any Christian place of worship in the UK that is open for regular worship.’ A Christian heritage is no mean thing. Our history requires us to value it as we consider its achievements over the centuries. It may be a different responsibility from that of proclaiming the Gospel and it may be seen as a lesser responsibility than that. But we face a question that will not be going away.
NEW FOREST FOCUS
This week’s NCT focus is St Michael’s church, Lyndhurst in the New Forest. My recollection of Lyndhurst is traffic – fast and furious. But doubtless things have changed. As well as having a lively programme and a determined schedule for coming out of lockdown, St Michael’s is a treasure house of stained glass and other items for which the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood was responsible. Leading the ministry team is David Potterton.
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