EIGHT historic county churches in danger of being damaged beyond repair have been added to English Heritage’s ‘at risk’ register.
This year’s list, released yesterday, includes 68 sites in Oxfordshire.
All Saints Church, Wytham
Four churches were removed from the list after cash from English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund enabled repairs to be carried out.
And the eight churches added are hoping for a similar outcome after being recognised as buildings at risk of being lost in the near future.
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English Heritage spokeswoman Clare Charlesworth said: “We do not pick the register as a stick to beat people with, we do it because we think it can be helpful.
“It reminds people just because buildings are old does not mean we do not need to look after them.
“It can also act as guidance as regards where they should concentrate their funding.”
St John the Baptist’s Church in Kingston Bagpuize
One of the churches at risk is the Church of All Saints, Cuddesdon, which needs replastering work and significant repairs to the chancery.
The church’s vicar the Rev Emma Pennington said she invited English Heritage to look at the building in the hope it could help with repair work.
She said: “We are a small village so resources are limited and the upkeep needed is quite enormous.
“That is why we need funding.The church goes back to the 1180s and it was one of the daughter churches founded from Abingdon Abbey.
“It is beautiful Norman gothic. Being on the list highlights the need we have here.”
The “at risk” register means a building is in danger of collapsing completely in coming years, or losing features that make it unique, such as medieval wall paintings.
Church of All Saints, Cuddesdon
All Saints in Wytham, which requires urgent roof repairs has applied for English Heritage funding towards the £120,000 cost. Church warden David Humphrey said: “The church has been the centre of Wytham community’s for many hundreds of years and it is important to preserve this continuity.”
Many of the churches on the preservation list, which also includes the former RAF Bicester airbase and the Sutton Wick settlement site near Drayton, date back to Norman times.
Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust president Richard Lethbridge said this can pose upkeep problems.
He said: “We have got more than 400 medieval churches and like all medieval buildings they need more upkeep than most. First of all they have enormous roofs so there are roof problems and in the last few years there has been a problem with lead crime.
“Even people who do not always to go church want to support us because in many places the church is a symbol of the community.”
“I do not think there is any doubt people can help by getting involved.”
Factfile
Churches added this year
- Chapel at Sonor House, Pishill with Stonor
- Church of St Mary, Banbury,
- Church of All Saints, Cuddesdon
- Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Henley
- Church of St John the Baptist, Kingston Bagpuize
- Church of St John, Kingston Lisle
- Church of St Mary, Kirtlington
- Church of St Peter ad Vincula, South Newington
- Church of All Saints, Wytham
Churches removed this year
- Church of St Britius, Brize Norton
- Church of St Peter and St Paul, Checkendon
- Church of St Michael and All Angles, Leafield
- Church of St Mary, Pyrton
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