Reordering

The church, formerly a church hall built in 1898, became a parish church after the original church was demolished in about 1992. The proposal was to convert the existing gentlemen’s toilet block, to the north of the altar, into an office and to rebuild the ladies’ toilets, on the south side of the altar and adjoining a private house, as four unisex toilets, including one with wheelchair access. The neighbours at the adjoining house wrote a letter of objection, their main objection being noise disturbance. The Chancellor granted a faculty, but imposed a condition that the petitioners should reverse the locations of the ladies’ toilets and the new office, if possible, but, if this was not practicable, they should use their reasonable endeavours to introduce acoustic insulation to the party wall between the church building and the objectors’ home.

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 petitioners sought permission to remove 31 Victorian nave pews installed during William Butterfield’s 1856–57 restoration, replace them with 150 stackable “Icon 40” chairs, and dispose of various surplus twentieth-century furnishings (including a metal altar rail, kneelers, lectern, and a Lady Altar). The Victorian Society objected in consultation, arguing that the pews formed part of Butterfield’s significant ensemble of furnishings and that their removal would harm the building’s architectural integrity. Historic England and the Diocesan Advisory Committee supported the proposal, considering the pews relatively undistinguished and accepting the parish’s case that flexible seating was needed for worship, mission, accessibility, and community activities. Applying the Duffield guidelines for listed churches, the Chancellor held that removing most pews would cause moderate but not serious harm to the church’s significance. However, the parish had demonstrated a clear and convincing justification: flexible space would better support worship, events, and mission. Alternatives such as shortening or moving pews were rejected as impractical. Balancing harm against public benefit, the Chancellor granted the faculty, subject to conditions regarding disposal of the Lady Altar and consultation about retaining some pews around the church perimeter.

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.

The petition contained proposals for extensive reordering of the 13th century Grade I listed church. The Parochial Church Council wished to expand the use of the church by providing, inter alia, kitchen and toilet facilities, meeting rooms, a gallery, new seating (for more flexible worship and meetings) and new heating, thus providing a more useful community resource. There were ten parties opponent, as well as opposition from the amenity societies. The Chancellor granted a faculty for the majority of the proposed works.

The incumbent, the associate vicar and the churchwarden applied for a faculty for the introduction of an audio-visual system into the Grade II* church. There was one letter of objection, from the assistant organist, who did not wish to be a party opponent. His concern was that the evangelical style of worship of the present vicar and associate priest would result in excessive use of the audio-visual equipment, which "does not fit with the very middle of the road Anglican choral tradition that we have here." The Chancellor found no merit in the assistant organist's arguments, and did not feel that they were representative of the views of the members of the church as a whole, and he accordingly granted a faculty.

The rector and churchwardens applied for a faculty to authorise improvements to the Lady Chapel, in order to create more space and light. This involved removing the large altar, riddle posts and canopy, which took up a quarter of the floor space, and replacing them with a smaller altar; reducing the panelling which was blocking light from the windows; and reinstating the original stained glass window. The Chancellor was satisfied that the works would improve the appearance of the Chapel, and make it lighter and more welcoming, and he accordingly granted a faculty.