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Alphabetical Index of all judgments on this web site as at 1 October 2022

Index by Dioceses of 2022 judgments on this web site as at 1 October 2022

Reordering

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The vicar and churchwardens wished to replace the church pews with chairs. The Chancellor was satisfied that the replacement of the pews with chairs was appropriate in the church and granted a faculty.

The petition proposed replacing the existing pew benches with new moveable pew benches by the ecclesiastical furniture designer Luke Hughes, and retaining the best examples of the current pews by their removal to the gallery. Historic England and the Victorian Society submitted objections, but did not become parties opponent.  The Chancellor granted a faculty. The pews introduced following the rebuilding of the church (known as "the Actors' Church") in 1795-6 had been adapted in a reordering in 1871-2, and were now in a very poor state of repair. The Chancellor considered that any harm to the architectural interest of the church would be low and the harm to the historical interest would be moderate. He found that the petitioners had made a convincing case for the proposals. The church would benefit from the introduction of moveable pew benches, which would provide improved seating and allow greater use of the church for services, events, concerts and commercial hiring.








The petition contained a number of reordering proposals designed to allow the church and parish room to work together or to be used independently of each other and to provide better facilities and a more flexible and attractive space within the church for use by the congregation and the wider community. There was an objection to the moving of the war memorial, in order to unblock the original north porchway and create a better access to the parish room. The Chancellor determined that there was a strong justification for the proposals and he granted a faculty.

Reordering proposals included: a glazed entrance lobby; a welcome area; a room for a crèche during services; a meeting room; a kitchen; and toilets. The works involved moving the rood screen and the font. The main area of contention was the moving of the rood screen, which was a war memorial. The Chancellor granted a faculty.

The proposals included the removal of two pews from the west end of the Grade II church and four from the north aisle, and the reduction in width of a further pew. The reasons for the proposals were to create: (a) a more useable space for a growing number of young families; (b) an area where some of the congregation can sit and enjoy refreshments after a service; (c) an area close to the main entrance which can accommodate noticeboards on which to communicate information; and (d) an area where a wheelchair can be positioned which is not at the rear of the church. Faculty granted.

The Vicar and Churchwardens wished to remove the existing damaged stone font from the front of the church and replace it with a new portable font incorporating the stainless steel bowl and cover from the old font. The reasons for the proposal were, firstly, to be able to place the font in a better position than the old font for baptism services, where there would be better sight-lines, and secondly to be able to move the font out of the way when the space at the front of the church was required for large services, concerts and other events. A small number of parishioners objected to the proposals, but did not become parties opponent. The Chancellor granted a faculty for the replacement of the old font, on condition that the new font should stand in the same position as the old font, except when it needed to be moved for special services and events.

The proposals were for a major reordering. The controversial items were: replacement of the pews and pew platforms with chairs; creation of a flexible space within the nave to allow the building to be used as a
place of worship and church hall; and replacement of the existing organ with an electronic organ. The main intention of the proposals was to allow more flexible use of the church for community use. The Chancellor concluded that the petitioners had proved a necessity for the re-ordering, and he therefore granted a faculty.

The Chancellor had to consider the question as to whether, in the absence of a bishop during a vacancy in see, he could authorise the installation of an aumbry in the church. After considering the law and current practice, he determined that he could. Accordingly, a faculty was granted.

As part of a scheme of reordering in 2011-2012, 30 red-upholstered chairs with black metal frames were introduced into the Lady Chapel of the Grade II* church without faculty consent. These chairs were quite different from the chairs specified by the architect, on the basis of which the Diocesan Advisory Committee issued a certificate that it did not object to the works in the Lady Chapel. The churchwardens subsequently applied for a retrospective faculty to authorise the 30 chairs. The amenity societies consulted were strongly opposed to the chairs. The Chancellor was of the opinion that the chairs were "incongruous and aesthetically inappropriate in and to the setting of this medieval Grade II* listed building". However, he granted a faculty for the chairs, but subject to a condition that within 5 years the petitioners should apply for a further faculty for "suitable and appropriate replacement chairs which respect the interior and significance of this Grade II* listed church".

The proposals were to install a drop-down screen behind the chancel arch, and also install a digital projector in a Grade I listed church. There were four objectors, but none wished to be a party to the proceedings. Re St. Alkmund Duffield considered. Faculty granted.