Church at risk status 'very positive' says vicar

The church in Apethorpe dates back to the 14th Century

The vicar of a medieval church said being added to the Historic England at-risk register was "very positive".

St Leonard's Church in the village of Apethorpe, Northamptonshire, is Grade I listed and is thought to date back to the 14th Century, with the tower completed in 1633.

The Anglican church, which is part of the Watersmete Benefice in the Diocese of Peterborough, is still open and holds regular services and events.

Reverend Jane Tailby, the vicar at St Leonard's, said it was "a splendid building, it's a living church and we want to keep it that way".

The church is in the centre of the village which is also home to the historic Apethorpe Palace

She said there was "concern particularly about the damp" in the church which led them to apply to be on the at risk register.

Ms Tailby said: "It sounds like such a negative thing, 'at risk', but actually it can be for us a very positive thing."

The vicar, who works across the benefice, which includes parts of Northamptonshire and Peterborough, said being placed on the register "raises the profile of the church".

"It gets us support, practical support, financial support as well, because it always takes a lot of money to keep an ancient church going," she told BBC Radio Northampton's Annabel Amos.

The church includes tombs for the Mildmay family who founded the church

She added it also allows the church to make applications for grants for repairs and restoration.

Ms Tailby said: "It's open each day for people to come in to enjoy, to find peace and quiet and prayerfulness and enjoy the history because there's some wonderful history in the church as well, some very special treasures we have.

"Of course the history is glorious but we want to secure it for the future as well."