Diocese: Southwark
Chancellor: Petchey

Two petitions for the substantial re-ordering of this Grade II church to open up the space, provide flexibility and to provide hall facilities which would increase the usability of the area for worship. There would be room for informal gatherings of children and for church school services and also facilitate community use of the building for concerts. Objections received by the Georgian Society and the Victorian Society who could not see that the need outweighed the harm that they saw as arising, which led to a modification of the scheme in order to address some of the concerns raised. Chancellor is satisfied that the Petitioners have proved a need for the proposed works and faculty is granted with conditions.

Diocese: Coventry
Chancellor: Eyre

Replacement of existing organ with a combination or hybrid organ at a cost of just over £76,000. It was agreed that the church needed a new organ but preference by CBC and DAC was that it should be another pipe organ for its quality and durability. They believe that a redundant pipe organ could be obtained and installed at a similar cost to the combination organ. The use of a combination organ is relatively new in this country, therefore its durability, musical quality and cost effectiveness has yet to be established. Petitioners argue that a combination organ has the benefits of a pipe organ at an affordable cost. A detailed report was produced setting out a number of potential options and their costings, putting a top of the range pipe organ in excess of £250,000 which could not be justified in the light of other calls on the parish’s resources. Arguments for and against are finely balanced but Chancellor grants faculty on condition that 12 months after installation of a combination organ, an independent expert should report on its performance, and should consider the musical qualities together with the need for repairs and cost of such repairs. Such report shall be sent to the DAC and the CBC.

Diocese: Newcastle
Chancellor: Hodson

The family of the deceased sought permission for a memorial to be placed over his interred ashes, the proposed dimensions being 24”x18”x4” made of black granite. There was no mention of an open book design, therefore permission was granted and the memorial installed. When questioned about the open book design, the stonemasons was unaware it would be a problem and therefore did not mention it. Also, the memorial installed was actually 24”x24”x4” which exceeded the permissible size, therefore a retrospective faculty is denied.

Diocese: Lichfield
Chancellor: Coates

When Mrs Best’s husband died and was buried in Walsall Wood, she applied for and received leave for a Faculty reserving the grave space next to her husband so that they may eventually lie side by side again.  Mrs Hastelow’s son was unlawfully killed while in Spain and, by order of a Spanish court, was buried in a cemetery there. It took a long time for Mrs Hastelow to achieve her wish of bringing her son home for burial but she was successful and he was buried in Walsall Wood, unfortunately in the grave space reserved by Mrs Best. The mistake occurred because the vicar failed to mark the site as reserved and so the grave digger simply dug a spot next to the last dug grave. Mrs Best declined to accept any plot other than that by the side of her husband and Mrs Hastelow did not want her son’s body exhumed for a second time. Whilst weighing up the legal position on exhumation, whether the faculty already granted to Mrs Best should be overruled, and the distress a second exhumation would cause Mrs Hastelow, it was concluded that there should be an exception to the general rule that burial should be regarded as a final resting place and Mrs Hastelow’s son should be exhumed and re-interred. Any costs incurred must be met by the vicar who unreservedly accepted that the responsibility lies entirely with him.

Diocese:  Chelmsford
Chancellor: Pulman

Re-ordering the inside of the parish church which has wide support from the parish and DAC but objections to part of it from the Victorian Society regarding removal of the font, its cover and bracket, removal of pews whose installation was part of an 1872/3 re-ordering by Henry Woodyer, an important church architect, still highly regarded, giving the church its distinct Victorian character, and installation of a new oak floor which would require the removal of a Victorian tile floor and cast iron grille. The VS also claim that the Statement of Significance is wholly inadequate in not dealing with Woodyer’s work and therefore material to the issues at stake. Subsequently, a second Statement of Significance was provided. A recent faculty granted the building of a parish centre attached to the church where a range of activities are carried out. The PCC wishes to create a “café church” for informal talks and meetings but this is impossible where there are pews. The font and cover is at the south door and is a fine example of Woodyer’s work and should remain. Petitioners have proved a necessity for removal of pews and permission is therefore granted. The tiles are neither unusual nor particularly good and the grille is a health and safety hazard, therefore permission to cover with a wooden floor is granted.