Church asks for support with £200k repair bill

A recent inspection of St John the Baptist Church revealed issues with the building

A church that is facing a £200,000 repair bill has asked a town council for support.

St John the Baptist Church in Whittington, Shropshire, needs work doing on its masonry, gutters and parquet flooring.

Church secretary Margery Mellor said "areas of concern" had been highlighted in a recent inspection and she has asked Oswestry Town Council for help.

She said the diocese had also been asked for support, but the likely cost was "vastly beyond our ability to fund".

The external masonry in need of repair was over the chancel arch and altar and was causing internal damaging dampness to the walls, Ms Mellor said.

She also told the council: "All have Grade II listed status, with the inevitable strictures which it places on remedying the problems."

In her letter, she said: "Our church is not only a place of worship, but is an active resource for the village as well as a building with its own intrinsic historic and architectural value, and as such does generate tourists to come in and look around."

At the same time, she said she appreciated "that funds are tight" and that the council could also help by endorsing grant applications.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.