For a number of years, the PCC of St. Vigor’s had been finding it difficult to run the church on a day-to-day basis and keep on top of the fabric. Sadly, and after much deliberation and consultation with the village, together with our numbers having declined to just a few, the PCC, with great reluctance and sadness, resolved to close the church as a worshipping community.

Since the end of 2019, our regular attending membership (those attending at least once a month) had declined from 15 to just 4, and Sunday worship was often attended by just 2 or 3 people in addition to the clergy and preachers. Primarily, our lack of numbers made it impossible to continue and this also brought with it financial constraints. 

Going back another 10 years since 2009, the 5-yearly or quinquennial inspections by the church’s architect had seen an increasing necessity to carry out major repairs. Applications for funding were not successful, as monies from grants is a scarce commodity and is allocated only to projects that provide greater benefit to more people than our situation was able to offer. The last quinquennial in 2019 summed up the state of the fabric by saying “everywhere is now ripe for repairs”. In particular, replacement of the nave and chancel roofs, repairs to the tower and other essential items would have required in excess of £150,000. Further, a survey of the historic wall monuments required urgent action to two of them for reasons of public safety (at a cost of some £16,000) and a further £100,000 would have needed to be found to preserve and maintain the rest. However in total, a sum well in excess of £500,000 (2020 estimates) would have beeen required to make St. Vigor’s a community asset with improved access and basic facilities (toilet and kitchen etc.) such that it could be used beyond one hour on Sundays.

With regard to general finance, the basic annual expenditure was some £3,500 for heating, lighting, insurance and expenses etc. That figure did not include any expenditure that had to come from church funds with regard to general repairs to the fabric. Even the basic expenditure placed a great strain on the few left in the congregation.

Further, our contribution to the Parish Share (contribution to The Diocese for the provision of clergy and other Diocesesan expenses) at that time was some £5,400 (£450 per month) and that had been reduced from the due amount of £8,310 to avoid running into debt.

Therefore, after careful consideration of the impact on the village and the building itself, at our APCM in April 2022, the PCC decided to approach The Archdeacon about closing St. Vigor’s as a worshipping community. Subsequently, there were a series of meetings with The Archdeacon and villagers, and you can follow the timeline and read the associated notes below.