Save Churches from Crumbling – Give Them to the Locals
Historic England is nearly ending its agreement to repay VAT on church repairs, leaving the Church of England unable to cover this cost.
The new Archbishop of Canterbury faces a major challenge: deciding the future of a third of England’s parish churches — around 3,000 to 5,000 — which are mostly empty, neglected, and rarely used.
Significance of Churches in England
Churches make up nearly half of all Grade I listed buildings, representing England’s most distinguished collection of historic structures. They embody the nation’s civic heritage, local history, and places of calm reflection. Yet, they also represent England’s most serious conservation issue.
The Centralisation Problem
British churches have suffered from excessive centralisation, leaving them overlooked and underused.
A Practical Solution
This problem has a clear fix, one widely adopted across Europe. Local churches should be “denationalised.” Anglican churches — and potentially all churches — should be transferred from diocesan control to parish or town councils. Shared use arrangements would ensure their preservation and functionality.
“Local churches should be ‘denationalised’. Anglican churches, perhaps all of them, should be transferred by diocesan authorities to parish or town councils, with appropriate arrangements for shared use. Churches should be transferred, properly protected, into the care of their parishes.”
Such transfers would place churches under the guardianship of their communities, ensuring better care and ongoing use.
Source
Reported by The Times, Monday November 03, 2025.
Original Article in The Times (£)
Author’s Summary
Transferring Anglican churches to local communities offers a sustainable solution to preserving England’s historic buildings and reconnecting them with public life.