Funding Success for Two Projects on the Future of the Historic Parish Church

Funding Success for Two Projects on the Future of the Historic Parish Church

Parish churches are a ubiquitous and iconic part of England’s national heritage. 45% of all Grade I listed buildings in England are parish churches. The question of how society manages historic places of worship is going to be one of, if not the most, significant heritage issue for the next decade. What happens when a church closes? How can the historic structure be re-purposed to serve local communities when a church ceases to be a place of worship?

 

In May 2020 the Heritage Partnerships Team of TORCH hosted an online workshop with the Churches Conservation Trust to explore opportunities for collaborative projects. Following on from this workshop TORCH has partnered with the CCT to secure funding for a range of initiatives.

 

Two projects have successfully been awarded funding since the establishment of this partnership.  One project, developed in partnership with the Said Business School and doctoral researcher Jessica Stitt, explores the dynamics of the heritage skills labour market.  The other project, led by Dr Peter Petkoff and Eleanor Townshend, focuses on providing critical thinking to underpin and enhance potentially significant changes to legal policies surrounding historic parish churches.

 

You can learn more about these exciting developments here.  

 

st andrew covehithe

The church of St Andrew at Covehithe. © CCT