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One of the best
churches in England
ST JAMES THE GREAT AT ASLACKBY |
One of the best country churches in
England can be found at Aslackby, near Bourne, and in the summer of 2009
it won £5,000 to prove it. St James the Great was named as runner up in a
competition for the rural church of the year organised by Country Life
magazine after being included in a short list of six by a distinguished
team of judges led by Sir Roy Strong, the art historian and broadcaster.
They were particularly impressed with the
many uses to which the building had been put over the past five years,
making it a natural hub of village life and the cash prize will go towards
the church's £200,000 restoration project which is now in progress.
As the competition got underway, Aslackby
was chosen as one of the six runners up when the judges said: "Realising
that their centrally located church had potential for a wider use, but not
having the funds to alter the fabric in any way, the villagers of Aslackby
have transformed their church by experiment. Over a five-year trial
period, they have put the building to every practicable use they can
imagine. It now serves as a regular venue for concerts, family activity
days, talks and presentations. It’s also home to a film society with a
membership in a village of about 100 houses of more than 200. Following
this success, plans are under way to install basic amenities to ensure
that these events carry on in the future."
The final result was eventually announced
on July 29th with St Andrew’s Church at South Warnborough, Hampshire,
as the winner and receiving the top prize of £10,000. But Aslackby was in second place
and won £5,000 with
this adjudication:
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Runner-up
£5,000 prize
St James the Great,
Aslackby, Lincolnshire
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Some parishes may
be intimidated by the financial commitment and logistics necessary to
undertake substantial alterations to their churches. If so, St James the
Great shows how such a transformation can be undertaken in stages, with
physical changes following a transformation in attitude.
In this case, the funds weren’t immediately available to carry out
alterations such as the addition of a loo, basic kitchen facilities, good
lighting and efficient heating. Instead, the village community embarked on
a five-year trial to see whether, and in what ways, its church could be used
for events outside the liturgical remit. This is a highly commendable
process, which allows for a true understanding of the building’s strengths
and needs. It also gives time for the practical process of fundraising
and, crucially, the development of properly considered designs.
To undertake the trial, an appeal was launched for a new set of chairs
(the pews had been removed in the early 20th century). Many of the chairs
were individually sponsored by members of the community or friends of the
church. The choice of woven-reed upholstery for the chairs, rather than
monochrome material covers, was particularly commended by the judges as
sympathetic to the interior.
The community has also illustrated its concern for the historic
furnishings of the building by restoring a fine 18th century example of
the royal arms. The final location of the restored arms is still under
discussion.
Over the five-year trial period, the villagers of Aslackby have proved
that their centrally located church is a natural hub for village life. The
building is used on a regular basis for concerts, family activity days,
talks and a highly successful film club, all of which are attended by
significant numbers of visitors from the surrounding area, as well as by
the villagers themselves, and by both worshippers and non-worshippers. To
make these events possible, the facilities of houses near the church have
been made available. With their period of research over and the wider
community now firmly involved in the use of the church, the necessary
physical alterations are now under final review.
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