BCD Special Report on
Historic Churches
17th annual edition
31
Northern Lights
How innovative rural churches in Cumbria are
showing the way forward
Jemma Metcalfe-Gibson
T
ry for
a moment to picture Cumbria
in your mind’s eye. More than likely,
you are visualising rising fells and broad
expanses of water; the dramatic and inspiring
landscape of the Lake District. Cumbria’s
buildings might not come to mind at all. Many
of the traditional buildings of Cumbria blend
into the landscape. Tey were built from local
materials to provide shelter from the weather
and because they are practical, robust and ‘ft for
purpose’, many remain standing centuries later.
Our historic churches have served
their communities for generations. But in
some areas where congregations and church
councils are dwindling and ageing, where
there is little thought to leadership succession
planning and where fnances are limited, a
potential crisis is looming. Te problems
facing our rural churches aren’t necessarily
indicative of changing attitudes towards
religion; sometimes they emerge merely from
local demographics. Insufcient afordable
housing and poor job prospects afect many
rural areas, making some villages the preserve
of the retired, second-homers and holiday-
makers. Sometimes, the post ofce and pub
have closed but the church remains, albeit
in a vulnerable fnancial position. In such
circumstances, churches are having to rethink
their role within their communities and to
consider whether they really are ft for purpose.
Adapting to local needs
Just as farms and country houses have had to
diversify in order to survive, rural churches
must also adapt. Tis means adjusting to
changing social and economic conditions, and
to the specifc needs of local communities.
Meeting all the varied needs of a community,
however, may not be possible so it is especially
important that churches should complement
rather than compete with one another. Tis may
mean working ecumenically and with other
partners and facilities such as the village hall.
One way to investigate the possibilities is by
conducting a community plan. Tis allows the
whole community to consider what changes
they would like to see in their area now and
in the future. Tese changes might include
meeting housing, education and other social
needs. Faith buildings can play a crucial role in
accommodating some of these requirements by
being accessible, welcoming community spaces.
One church that has successfully adapted
to a challenging local situation is St Oswald’s in
Burneside (page 32), a village close to Kendal.
When the post ofce stopped functioning
in the village shop, it looked to the church,
which is centrally located and easily accessible.
Te post ofce operates out of the church’s
kitchen, which used to be the vestry and has
access independent from the church so that
very little alteration was required. Tere is
also a disabled toilet which is made available
for public use and is a welcome facility for
walkers following the long-distance Dales
Way walk. While the additional post ofce
function hasn’t increased the congregation size,
it has added to the role of the building with at
least 30 people a day using the post ofce.
Gosforth Methodist Church (page 32),
on the west coast of Cumbria, serves as an
important link for people of all ages within the
village and surrounding countryside. Regular
activities include Young Farmers’ meetings,
fortnightly lectures, frequent exhibitions for
local schools and a chiropody clinic provided by
Age Concern, which has become a very popular
social event for the elderly. Tese are excellent
examples of outreach services and partnership
working. Tanks to the determination,
commitment, energy and imagination of
volunteers, examples of good work such as
this can be found across the entire country.
Other churches in Cumbria such as
Cumbria in context
Sixty per cent of churches in England (around 9,600) are in rural areas. Tis means that the smallest
communities are supporting a high number of churches.
Cumbria, a largely rural county, has more places of worship per head of population than most
other counties, and almost 40 per cent of its 250 churches are listed. Most are Anglican, and the
majority of these are in the higher categories of Grade I and II*. If these buildings are not properly
maintained, repaired and funded, a signifcant part of Cumbria’s historic resource will be put at risk.
Cumbria’s historic churches need to diversify in order to survive but this can be difcult because
of the complexities of fnding additional viable uses, successfully adapting and altering the church
to accommodate them, fnancing the projects and having sufcient local capacity to sustain them.
Happily, a number of churches in the county have negotiated these obstacles and they are acting as
beacons for others.
St Bridget’s Church, Beckermet, Cumbria (All photos: J Metcalfe-Gibson unless otherwise stated)