Wakefield Consistory Court: Collier Ch, August 1999

A faculty had been granted in 1994 for the first phase of a reordering. The petitioners sought a faculty for the second phase which included in its plans the laying of a deep blue carpet decorated with gold crosses. The design of the carpet was opposed by the DAC and the CCC. Carpet of the proposed design had already been laid in part of the church without authorisation. The chancellor granted the faculty for the reordering but rejected the design of the carpet stating that the colour was against diocesan guidelines and would be far too dominant an item of furnishing for the particular church. In addition the use of the cross in the pattern of the carpet was contrary to Anglican practice leading as it did to excessive repetition of the supreme Christian symbol which in turn trivialised that symbol. He did not order the removal of the carpet which had already been laid but invited the parish to consider replacing it once a carpet had been approved for the main body of the church.

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(2000) 5 Ecc LJ 390