District church could sell its pews in bid to transform building

A village church in the Harrogate district wants to permanently remove all of its pews to create more space for events.

St John the Baptist Church in Bishop Monkton replaced the pews with individual chairs in November as a temporary social distancing measure.

It now wants to make the arrangement permanent so it can hold choir concerts, coffee mornings and fundraising events.

If it succeeds, it would sell all 14 pine pews, which are believed to date back to the church’s consecration in 1879. Each one could fetch a few hundred pounds.

The church has notified Harrogate Borough Council, the Victorian Society and Historic England that it intends to permanently remove the pews in the Grade Two listed building.

The Diocese of Leeds will take into account any comments before deciding whether to proceed.

If the move goes ahead, the church’s seating capacity would remain at 95 — but because individual chairs are easier to move than pews, it would make it easier to stage events.

Sue Short, the church warden, told the Stray Ferret a survey in the village had shown there was widespread support for the idea of turning the church into a “more flexible, usable space”. She added:

“It just seems to me to be incredibly sensible.

“We’ve got to move forward. We have to be innovative and be forward thinking with the use of the church.

“I personally feel a church is there to be used by the community rather than just exist as an icon.”

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The church, which recently underwent repair work to the tower, will require a new roof in the next 10 years and fundraising would be boosted by the potential to host more events.

A Statement of Significance, submitted by the Reverend Robb Wainwright in planning documents to Harrogate Borough Council, said:

“On the whole it would have the desired effect of making the whole nave a much more flexible worshipping and missional space.

“The village is organising a new arts festival, now scheduled to begin in 2022 rather than this year. It is hoped that the church will be one of the main venues.”