The Church
St Cyr’s Church is in the civil parish of Stonehouse, with Stroud District Council being the local planning authority. It is situated on the edge of the town by the Stroudwater Canal at Church Lane, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, GL10 3QP, national grid reference SO 79949 05013.
The church is one of the most photographed sites in Gloucestershire and the UK’s canal network. It is located in a beautiful rural landscape, next to the increasingly popular canal towpath and public footpaths with walkers and cyclists as well as canoers, boaters and paddle boarders on the canal itself.
Although the church is some distance from the centre of Stonehouse High Street, it would most probably have been built to serve the ancient centre of the settlement, which grew up around the Manor House, which is now Stonehouse Court Hotel.
To the north west of St Cyr’s Church is Stonehouse Court Hotel and to the north east is modern residential development. The Stroudwater canal forms the southern boundary beyond which is open countryside. The remaining boundaries are formed of Cotswold stone walling, hedging and iron railings. From the entrance gates in the east, there is a wide public footpath running along the north side of the church, past the north porch to the pedestrian gate in the west boundary. There is a small parking bay formed opposite the porch. Car parking is otherwise along Church Lane.
St Cyr’s Church is in the Stroud Industrial Heritage Conservation Area. As it sits within the canal corridor, the Local Plan seeks to focus on canal restoration, conservation and regeneration, as well as improving physical accessibility between the canal and town centre.
The local area is of varied and stunning natural beauty, with views ranging from the open common adjoining Selsley, the steep wooded escarpment above the Stanleys, and villages in the Severn Vale to the west. There is a rich history of industry and agriculture in the area, together with significant residential development. The view of St Cyr’s Church is appreciated from all sides, especially along the Stroudwater Canal.
Although there are not any noteworthy trees in the churchyard, Stonehouse Court Hotel has some of the town’s oldest trees. Similarly there are a number of tree preservation orders in place for trees which are in close proximity to the church.
There are an outstanding collection of 50 Grade II listed table top tombs and monuments in the churchyard which date between the 17th century to 19th centuries. See below for a picture of some of the table top tombs. Several of these monuments were inside the old church and removed at the time of rebuilding in the 19th century, so their position does not necessarily bear any relation to the resting place of those commemorated. Most are of limestone or sandstone and include chest and pedestal tombs. In 1908, a new extension to the churchyard was given on the opposite side of Church Lane, with additional areas being provided in 1981 and 1997.
The Churchyard
The entire churchyard at St Cyr’s Church is open for burials and interments of ashes. Recently several parts of the churchyard have been closed due to lack of space for additional burials and interments.
Although there are no protected species or a biodiversity action plan at St Cyr’s Church, we are looking to work alongside Stonehouse Town Council, Stroud District Council and the Cotswold Canal Trust who are creating more habitats and encouraging increased biodiversity around the town and along the canal. Some carefully selected sections of grass in various open spaces around the town are being left to grow longer than usual over the summer months before being cut as normal in the autumn. This is to help the bees and other insects and pollinators, as well as helping local efforts to tackle the global ecological crisis. In addition, this new management regime significantly reduces the amount of mowing required every year, helping to reduce emissions and reducing the impact on climate change.
To the south of St Cyr’s Church is the Stroudwater Canal which is currently under restoration. The entire canal corridor has a Biodiversity Action Plan, which we are looking to assist alongside the Cotswold Canals Trust, by helping to increase biodiversity by reconnecting previously fragmented habitats.
The churchyard is in the Stroud Industrial Heritage Conservation Area. Its purpose is to protect the unique heritage of the Stroud Valleys. There are no Tree Preservation Orders or Protected Species in the churchyard, nor is the churchyard a County Wildlife Site, Site of Special Scientific Interest or equivalent. Similarly there are no parts of the churchyard at present which are deliberately set aside for fauna and flora. Equally there are not any prominent, rare or unusual trees within the churchyard, although there are a number of large ancient trees which are in the grounds of Stonehouse Court Hotel.
Social History
Stonehouse appears in the Domesday Book under its old name “Stanhus” but there is no mention of a church, although historians believe there was a Saxon church. The list of incumbents date from 1225, with the advowson belonging to the Abbess and Convent of Elstow Abbey, Bedfordshire. At the reformation, the abbey was passed to the crown.
The church was rebuilt in the 19th century. See lithograph below of the church from around 1835, together with a photograph of the enlarged church from around 1912.
Today St Cyr’s Church is in the parish of Stonehouse, and sits within the Deanery of Stroud, Archdeaconry of Gloucester and Diocese of Gloucester.
Formerly a standalone parish with its own Rector, St Cyr’s became part of the Stroudwater Team in 2017. The Stroudwater Team consists of 15 churches from four former mission areas. The churches are spread across an extensive area bounded by the Cotswold escarpment to the east, with the village of Selsley being on the eastern extremity and Arlingham in the west.
Stonehouse, together with the wider Stroudwater Team, are served by three members of clergy, namely a Team Rector and two Team Vicars, although at the time of writing, our Rector is due to depart in May 2023. Our clergy are spread over the entire team for church services and events but tend to focus more closely to their local areas for meetings and initiatives.
There is a vibrant and active congregation at St Cyr’s Church, including Messy Church, Experience Advent, Christmas, Easter and Pentecost. There are strong ecumenical partnerships with the local Bethel, Baptist, Methodist and Catholic churches, including Sportily and Churches Together In Stonehouse, together with various town-led events and processions.
The church also receives visits from bell ringers, walkers and cyclists, as well as being used by choirs and music groups for practices, concerts and performances.
There has been an active branch of the Mothers’ Union at St Cyr’s Church for many years. Pat Harris, the wife of a previous Rector of St Cyr’s, was chosen as Worldwide President of the Mother’s Union. This resulted in a stream of interesting overseas visitors, which in turn led to a greater awareness and interest in St Cyr’s Church from across the world.
The church building
St Cyr’s Church is conventionally orientated to the south west of a roughly rectangular churchyard. It is arranged with coursed and squared limestone with a slate roof. The church has a nave and chancel with aisles, west tower, north porch and south vestry. The church is Grade II* listed and was entered onto the statutory list on 28th June 1960 and amended on 24th February 1987.
The tower at St Cyr’s Church is the oldest part of the church, dating from the 14th century. Due to the old church building being in a poor state of repair, it was rebuilt in 1854 by Henry Crisp of Bristol in a chaste perpendicular style. The new church building was built in the same perpendicular style as the former church building, with the Chancel raised on the foundations of the former Chancel. See picture below of Henry Crisp’s floorplan of the church in 1853.
The church has a spacious interior with 5-bay aisle arcades, together with a high pointed chancel arch, flanked by lower aisle arches. Older features were incorporated into the new church building, including a replacement 12th century style font and doorway in the porch. The tower is rather squat due to the high roof of the rebuilt church. The chancel aisles and vestry were added in 1884 by William Clissold. There are several memorials dating between the 17th and 19th centuries.
The stained-glass east window is by Wailes of Newcastle (1854). The sanctuary windows either side of the east window in the Chancel are the work of Edward Payne of Minchinhampton (1961 & 1964).
More recent changes which have been made to the church include the installation of an organ gallery and organ in 1957 at the west end, subsequently removed in 2017, the installation and removal of choir stalls at the east end, heating and lighting being added, together with major alterations in 1987 at the west end to provide room for a Sunday School, together with a basic kitchen and small toilet.
Due to the complete rebuilding of the church, except for the tower in the 19th century, the contents of the church are mainly 19th century furnishings. This includes the pulpit, pews, font, doors and stain glass windows. The rebuilt church was designed by Henry Crisp of Bristol.
The tower contains a peal of six bells, four of which are dated 1636 and the other two added by around 1703.
The church contains a number of more recently acquired church furnishings, including electric organ, padded chairs in the lady chapel, altar rail, kneelers and cushions, as well as various items for the now redundant Sunday School rooms.
Significance for mission
The church is popular with weddings, thanks to its scenic canal side location and its neighbour Stonehouse Court Hotel, an organiser of regular wedding fayres and a wedding reception venue itself. Couples appreciate the beauty of the church building, particularly at the east end with its perpendicular style.
Although the location of the church, on the edge of Stonehouse and with a rather awkward approach is seen as a disadvantage, the new housing developments nearby are certainly a mission opportunity. The public footpath receives hundreds of walkers every day, although the existing porch configuration is not appealing to visitors.
The Stroudwater Team, together with St Cyr’s Church, aspire to move forward with a vision of growth and outreach through collaboration. As part of the recently adopted Five-Year Strategic Plan, we have adopted the term Worshipping Communities rather than refer to a specific Church building. We have identified the opportunity to expand the number of Worshipping Communities within Stonehouse to beyond our congregation at the Sunday morning church services, such as a youth group, a toddler club, a fresh expression of church and so on.
By looking at the Stroudwater Team and Stonehouse as a network of Worshipping Communities, it allows for fluidity and expansion. St Cyr’s Church is already embarking upon this journey with Worshipping Communities including a Mothers’ Union, music group, Saturday morning cafes and prayer groups.
There are four other churches in Stonehouse, which together with St Cyr’s Church form an active group called “Churches Together In Stonehouse”. Collectively, we support the work of Sportily in Stonehouse for primary and secondary school children. Stonehouse has a secondary school, an infant and junior school, a specialist school for those with learning difficulties, as well as a couple of private schools. We have good links with these schools, especially through Open the Book sessions. At present, the building at St Cyr’s Church does not offer us the flexibility or space to enable large informal gatherings. Similarly the current building does not have the facilities which are required by large groups of children, thereby acting as a disincentive for Sportily and local schools to use the church building on a regular basis.
St Cyr’s Church has a small but dedicated music group, together with a piano and organ. Plans are afoot to expand the music group to include additional musicians and singers. Similarly the church is used by external organisations for concerts when raising funds. However the current configuration does not allow sufficient space for practices and performances, particularly at the east end.
A big strength of the current church building is the ability to have a large number of people come to church services, weddings and events including concerts, with a capacity of over 200. It is the largest public enclosed space in Stonehouse. However, despite having a high-capacity limit, the church does not have the facilities to cater for large numbers, especially with inadequate kitchen and toilet facilities.
St Cyr’s Church has a good relationship with the local Town Council. The church is used as a community venue by the History Society, the Cotswold Canals Trust and other local groups. However there is not sufficient space for large scale exhibitions and meetings due to the church’s current configuration.
Area affected by the proposal
The nave, tower, west and east ends are affected, particularly the existing kitchen, servery and toilet from within the tight tower space. The area around the porch would also be affected, as well as the space currently enclosed by the former Sunday School Rooms, together with the location of the font. A couple of existing memorials would be impacted and will require relocating including wall plaques over the church door (1775) for the foundation a charity school (see picture below).
Some of the pews in the nave and side aisles would be affected, including their location, height and number. In addition the current configuration of the east end would be affected, particularly in the Chancel and side chapels.
The spaces occupied by the existing lighting and heating systems would be affected.
The existing kitchen, servery and toilet have been in place for approximately 40 years, together with the existing partition at the west end. These areas have no historical significance to the church building, but their inclusion has resulted in the inability to access the west end door, as well as the inability for natural light to flow into the main body of the church as the windows are hidden on the north, west and south ends.
The porch is not significantly impacted, but the proposals are seeking to design a new bespoke joinery enclosure which is in keeping with the architecture of the building.
Pews have been removed from the church in the past, which have not compromised the overall design and feel of the building.
The east end has seen numerous changes in the past 150 years. The photographs above highlight the changes to the design of the Chancel, choir stalls and pews during this time.
The memorials which would require relocation have been moved below. The memorials on the partition would have been placed there when the partition was created in 1987, with their previous location being unknown. Similarly the pictured memorial below, which is suited above the main door, was clearly moved to its position in recent years due to its modern supports and alterations.
The existing lady chapels are no longer used in a traditional church service format, as designed over 150 years ago, but instead are regularly used by small prayer groups, as well as by clergy when conducting meetings with baptism families, wedding couples and the families of the bereaved. The current space requires reconfiguration to better suit it current uses.
Impact of the proposals
Revealing the west window in the ringing chamber, windows in the former Sunday School Rooms and improving the appearance of the church at the west end would enhance the significance of the building. Moving the font closer to the north door also provides a visible presence symbolising the beginning of one’s Christian journey.
The removal of a number of pews has been carefully thought-through, with the aim to keep the majority of all four blocks and preserve their symmetry, while removing individual pews to improve access and enable a greater degree of inclusivity. The removal of the low mid-Victorian stone chancel screen is required due to its poor state of preservation and liturgical redundancy, as well as an improvement to access.
The levels and screens have been thought through and correspond with one another stylistically.
The modern partition dominates the west end in a negative way. Its removal would enable the west end to return to its original design and enhancing its significance.
Similarly revealing the west window would improve natural lighting and restore the integrity of the original architecture, with an appropriately designed glazed screen acting in keeping with the overall architecture of the church building.
Moving the font closer to the north door provides a visible presence symbolising the beginning of one’s Christian journey.
A number of existing pews would be retained, thereby preserving the symmetry in the nave and side aisles of the church. Allowing more space towards the back of the church would enable space to allow the architectural form of the naves and aisles to be appreciated, together with natural light from the aisle windows to serve the main body of the church once more.
The low mid-Victorian stone chancel screen would be retained in part, thereby preserving elements of the church’s original design. The architecture of the new levels and screens responds deferentially to the existing architecture of the church building, all in a stripped-down form with simplified and constrained enrichment using both oak and timber to define the relative architectural status of the elements.
The addition of step free access would be through the incorporation of visually less prominent methods. It also creates a sense of openness for all.
The new drop-down screen is proposed to be located at such a height that it is in the relative shadows of the roof structure and housed behind a pelmet constructed within the depth of the tie and rafter members of the adjacent truss, making its visually unobtrusive, out of the natural eye-line of those at ground level.
We have consulted the DAC with our proposals who have provided favourably feedback to our plans. In particular, noting that the configuration of the toilets would work well due to the heavy oak door being kept more or less permanently open and other space constraints.
In addition, we have consulted Matt Fulford from Inspired Efficiency regarding our plans for the heating and lighting. We are looking at a heating solution similar to St Andrew’s Church Chedworth, where they had pew heaters with supplemental panel heaters.
Furthermore we have consulted O’Hare Stone Conservation in respect of wall memorials which are impacted by these proposals and are due to get a conservation report from them in due course.
General information
Stonehouse is a small town of approximately 3,500 homes with around 8,000 inhabitants. It is located on the River Frome as it enters the Severn Vale, close to the Cotswold Way and the Stroudwater Canal. It has good links for road, rail and bus services.
A number of employers varying from large to small manufacturing industries are located in the town’s business parks, with the high street having a range of shops and services. These include a supermarket, corner shops, butchers, cafes, solicitors, doctors, dentists and several independent shops.
St Cyr’s Church is located on the edge of the town by the Stroudwater Canal. It offers a weekly Sunday morning Family Service at 9.30am which is live streamed via our Facebook page. Average attendance is 25-30 people, which includes those joining us online. There is also an active Mother’s Union branch which meets for monthly prayer meetings, with average attendance of 15-20 people. Other religious services include regular baptisms, weddings, funerals, blessings and celebrations.
There are several large churchyards, the majority of which are closed and maintained by Stroud District Council. There is a small churchyard next to the canal which is open for burials and interments of ashes, which is maintained by a paid contractor. There is also a Community Payback Team who undertake some maintenance work in the churchyard.
The church has a friendly outward looking congregation, many of whom are involved in other aspects of town life. We have an excellent relationship with Stonehouse Town Council, with the church being used by a number of local organisations including the Stonehouse History Group, Cotswolds Canal Trust and Cotswold Singers.
We consider ourselves to be a church which is positioning itself to actively welcome young families. This is part of the recently adopted Five-Year Strategic Plan for St Cyr’s Church and the wider Stroudwater Team, in which the church will be looking to become more connecting, caring and celebrating.
We are fortunate to have two licensed lay leaders at St Cyr’s, as well as a congregation of worship leaders who participates with bible readings, prayers and leading our Family Services. We have around 50 people on the electoral roll, with around half aged 65 and over.
The church has an organ and piano, but is looking to start a music group. There is also a thriving band of bell ringers which practice on Tuesday mornings, as well as ringing for Sunday services, weddings and other special occasions.
The church is open daily with many people visiting the church for private prayer and reflection, whilst visiting a relative in the churchyard, as well as appreciating the beauty of the church building and its architecture, especially given its proximity to the well-used Stroudwater Canal towpath and public footpath, with hundreds of walkers and cyclists passing by.
At present, our expenditure exceeds our income, with our reserves being used to compensate. Our reserves stand at approximately £110,000, a combination of monies in our CBF and CAF current and deposit accounts, including shares. These funds are available now, with no major grant applications having been sought.
The last Quinquennial report was conducted in 2017.
Urgent works requiring immediate attention included clearing debris from the gutters, especially those to the nave and north aisle, as well as making safe loose merlon to tower. These are being addressed.
Works recommended to be carried out during the next twelve months include repointing defective joints to cope stones to nave, chancel & porch, improving/repairing lead cover flashing and mortar abutments to north and south chapels and chancel, repairing/replacing damaged cope stones to north chapel, chancel, repairs to lead covering to tower, repairs to lead lining to wall-head gutters to north aisle, chancel and south chapel, and replace defective/absent wire guards to tower, north and south aisles, chancel, south chapel, vestry. These are being addressed.
Further works which were recommended to be carried out during the quinquennial period included an overhaul and repaint downpipes, repair/replace damaged hammer-dressed stone to chancel, porch and north aisle, repoint plinth joints to tower, north aisle and chancel, patch repairs to stone slate roof coverings, repoint high level joints to all tower and chancel walls, nave (east elevation), and re-tip and protect window saddle bars including exterior bars to tower west window,
Works needing consideration beyond the quinquennial period included an overhaul and reconfigure rainwater disposal system to nave tower (north spitter), additional downpipe to south aisle
Recommended works of cyclical maintenance or phased repairs programmes included annual gutter, hopper and gully clearance, annual ivy and sapling clearance from tombs and boundary walls, programme of patch pointing to church walls and programme of patch repairs to stone slate roofs
The PCC at St Cyr’s Church Stonehouse is on top of these issues. A pro forma maintenance plan is in place, assisted by our architect David Newton, in which various building elements and tasks have been identified which require attention by general and specialist volunteers and contractors over the course of the following 9 years.
What do we need?
St Cyr’s Church is looking to enhance its church building and facilities for its existing congregation, visitors and various church groups.
In the last five years, our church has faced a number of significant changes, one of which is the church being part of the Stroudwater Team, which has welcomed three new members of clergy, who together with members from across the Stroudwater Team and St Cyr’s Church have formulated a new Five-Year Strategic Plan. This has identified Stonehouse as being one of the most important and vital parts of the plan, due to the opportunities to enhance our existing offerings, as well as enabling us to embrace and welcome young families into our congregation.
We are also conscious that as a church, we are wanting to embrace the key findings which arise from The Taylor Review in 2017 about the Sustainability of English Churches and Cathedrals. In particular, we are looking to embrace the multiple uses our church currently has, as well as enabling other uses in the future, thereby ensuring the sustainability of our church.
Furthermore, we appreciate that we need to respond to the Church of England’s General Synod declaration in February 2020 for all parts of the church to work to become carbon net zero by 2030.
In summary, we have identified the followings areas of need:
1. Improved experience for visitors
2. Step free access to all areas of the church
3. Enhanced lighting
4. Improved heating
5. Upgraded toilet facilities
6. Improved kitchen facilities
7. Expanded space for socialising
8. Creation of a small meeting area
9. Increased space and facilities for musicians and performers
10. Reduced distance between altar and congregation
The proposals
Using the same headlines as mentioned above:
1.Improved experience for visitors
A new glazed lobby would be created inside the church by the north porch, enabling the main door to be left open during the day when the church is open, allowing members of the public to look straight into the church from the outside through glass doors. The inclusion of glass doors would keep birds out and the heat in.
The removal of the existing kitchen and toilet under the stairs would enable people to use the west doors to enter and exit the church again, especially for weddings.
The existing enclosures at the west end would be removed, together with some of the existing pews at the back of the church in order to create a larger space. This would create a well-proportioned welcome area, with the font re-positioned to the west side of the porch.
It is also proposed to install a new projector screen above the arch in the Chancel.
2. Step free access to all areas of the church
The steps in the porch would be replaced with a stone flag ramp, enabling step free access to the church from outside.
The existing toilet would be replaced with two disabled friendly toilets, which would be located either side of the new glazed lobby by the porch, easily accessible from the main body of the church.
The existing pew bases would be lowered flush and reorganised, with new stone flags installed. The reconfigured pews would enable step free access to the main body of the church for disabled users, as well as those with mobility difficulties and young families with pushchairs.
Equally the Chancel and side chapels would become accessible for those with additional needs through the creation of a new stone ramp at the east end.
3.Enhanced lighting
The existing lighting system would be replaced with LED lights, strategically placed to offer the best possible light for church users. The removal of the existing enclosures at the west end, together with the screen between the nave and ringing chamber, would enable more natural light to flow into church.
4.Improved heating
The existing eight overhead gas fired heaters, three of which are out of action, would be replaced with a combination of new fan convector heaters at the west end and side aisles, together with a combination pew heaters fixes to the underside of the pews, suspended Herschel pulsar units and aspect heaters.
5.Upgraded toilet facilities
The existing toilet would be removed and replaced with two accessible toilets, one either side of a new lobby created by the porch. These would be disabled friendly, as well as being suited for young families who require children’s changing facilities.
6.Improved kitchen facilities
The existing kitchen under the tower would be removed and replaced with a new open plan kitchen towards the south west side of the church. This would be kept to worktop level.
7.Expanded space for services and events
The existing enclosures at the west end would be removed, the stone flags underneath repaired and reinstated where missing. Together with the removal of some of the existing pews at the back of the church, it would create a well-proportioned welcome area, with the font re-positioned to the west side of the porch.
8.Creation of small meeting area
The removal of the existing toilet and kitchen under the tower would enable the space under the tower to be turned into a small meeting room, an ideal size for 10-15 people such as PCC meetings.
9.Increased space and facilities for musicians and performers
The Chancel floor, steps and low plinth wall would be reconfigured, enabling a greater space for the music group and other organisations who use the church for concerts and performances.
In particular the two half height steps in the Chancel would be reconfigured to form one standard-height deep step in limestone flags. The plinth wall would be amended to continue to provide a screen to the pulpit’s steps. The Chancel floor level would be extended out to provide a larger performance platform.
The organ would be relocated to the south east end of the church by the vestry, which would also have storage facilities for the church’s PA system, as well as the new mixing desk for the overhead projector.
10. Reduced distance between altar and congregation
The Chancel floor would be extended out from its current location, with pews being brought forward.
The Chancel floor, steps and low plinth wall would be reconfigured, enabling a greater space for members of clergy, which together with pews being brought forward, would reduce the distance between the altar and congregation. The main altar would be relocated towards the front. The plinth wall would be amended to continue to provide a screen to the pulpit’s steps. The Chancel floor level would be extended out to provide a larger worship platform.
Why do we need it and why do we need it now?
In the last six years, our church has faced a number of significant changes, one of which is the church being part of the Stroudwater Team, which has welcomed three new members of clergy, who together with members from across the Stroudwater Team and St Cyr’s Church have formulated a new Five-Year Strategic Plan. This has identified Stonehouse as being one of the most important and vital parts of the plan, due to the opportunities to enhance our existing offerings, as well as enabling us to embrace and welcome young families into our congregation.
We are looking to create a ministry which is sustainable, by utilising the best use of our resources to reach out into our communities, whilst developing exciting opportunities as we grow. By sharing our gifts and passions, whilst also collaborating with others, it would enable more people to be affected with the wonderful news of Jesus Christ.
As part of the Five-Year Strategic Plan, there will be a network of mixed Worshipping Communities at St Cyr’s Church and across the Stroudwater Team, supported by Mission Groups which are sustained by the Vision Centre, all through a streamlined structure to enable strategic ministry. It would enable us to attract new followers to the Christian faith and to invest in the things which builds the Church, such as evangelism, mission, and discipleship.
Stonehouse is in a new Cluster with Eastington, Standish and Haresfield, in which we would continue to be governed by our existing PCCs but would meet collectively as a Cluster to strategically grow the Kingdom of God in our geographical area. There would also be various Mission Groups collaborating with the Clusters and their Worshipping Communities to ensure evangelism, pastoral care, discipleship, and worship are happening in a coordinated and strategic way, with everyone being actively encouraged to pursue their passion and gifts.
This particular Cluster has been put together because it offers the best opportunities for the long-term sustainable future of the Stroudwater Team and our local area. The Cluster has a common interest across a local geographical area, a strong missional ethos, and effective leadership and support. It is a manageable size and brings together people from a diverse range of backgrounds, so that collaboratively the Cluster can celebrate all aspects of church life.
Great Oldbury is the biggest opportunity for the Stroudwater Team and our local area, which together with the redevelopment of Standish Hospital and existing working relationships in place, means Eastington, Stonehouse, Standish and Haresfield have huge potential. These areas already have a strong missional ethos, which together with leadership and support from their worshipping communities would help to sustain one another, share the good news across the Cluster, as well as potentially exploring a new missional Church for Great Oldbury.
We are also conscious that as a church, we are wanting to embrace the key findings which arise from The Taylor Review in 2017 about the Sustainability of English Churches and Cathedrals. In particular, we are looking to embrace the multiple uses our church currently has, as well as enabling other uses in the future, thereby ensuring the sustainability of our church.
Furthermore, we appreciate that we need to respond to the Church of England’s General Synod declaration in February 2020 for all parts of the church to work to become carbon net zero by 2030.
In expanding each of the abovementioned points from section 2, we explain in further detail the reasons why we are looking to reorder St Cyr’s Church in each of these areas.
1.Improved experience for visitors
Many people come to visit St Cyr’s because of its location and ambience, with hundreds of people walking pass our church every day, which is on the public footpath. Due to nearby housing developments and the popularity of the nearby Stroudwater Canal and countryside, footfall in likely to significantly increase.
We are conscious that the existing door in the porch, the main entrance to the church building, is not inviting for passers-by because it is closed in order to keep the birds out. We therefore want to explore ways to enable people to see into the church, to make it more inviting, and in keeping with The Taylor Review, to give people a good reason to cross the threshold by entering inside our church. In particular, we want to create a welcoming atmosphere for all, including good access and modern amenities.
Comments in our visitors book note that people enjoy the ambience of the church, but we are conscious that their initial view when stepping inside is not that welcoming. We therefore need to explore ways in which the space at the back of the church can be opened up to ensure visitors have a positive reaction upon arrival.
The west end double doors under the tower cannot be used by our congregation and visitors at present due to the existing kitchen and toilet being in place. Wedding couples have expressed an interest in being able to process down the aisle through the west end doors, opening straight out onto the banks of the Stroudwater Canal. We are also conscious that a large church such as St Cyr’s only has two emergency escapes through the main porch and vestry. If our existing kitchen and toilet could be relocated, it would enable the west end double doors to be opened up.
The new projector screen would enable us to move away from printed hymn books and printed orders of service, thereby expanding our liturgical offerings for worship, whilst reducing our impact and reliance on printing orders of service for single use. It also enables us to use usual images and videos during worship, as well as creating opportunities for outreach and fundraising events
2. Step free access to all areas of the church
St Cyr’s Church is not disabled friendly. There is a step in the porch in order to gain access to the church. There are also further steps to get to the toilet, chancel and side chapels. The pews are also on raised wooden platforms. We are conscious that our several members of our congregation have additional needs, as well as increasingly young families coming with pushchairs. As a result, many people have difficulty in accessing many parts of the church.
We aspire to become an accessible church for all, enabling everyone regardless of their ability, to access all parts of the church. This would involve giving consideration on how to create sufficient space in terms of width to enable the use of wheelchairs, walkers and pushchairs, as well as step free access, not just to the church building itself, but also to all areas inside including the kitchen, toilet and chancel. If we can become an accessible church, it would create a welcoming atmosphere for all.
3.Enhanced lighting
The church nave is extremely dark due to its high ceiling and lack of windows at the west end. The existing lighting system is poor and inefficient, with different styles and generations of lights in use, all of which operate on a variety of different systems.
Outside, the public footpath through the churchyard is used by hundreds of walkers and cyclists every day. It is poorly lit at night with insufficient lightbulbs, with limited lighting being provided at the main entrance to the churchyard footpath where cars are parked.
An upgraded lighting system, both internally and externally, would enable the church to become much more appealing to visitors. Furthermore the addition and improvement of artificial and natural light, would make our church much safer for members of the public and visitors, particularly when we hold services, meetings and events at night. It would also enable the ambiance of the church building to be enhanced, particularly when we hold concerts and church services.
We are also conscious that we must become environmentally sustainable to enhance the ecological value of our building. None of our existing lighting uses LEDs and instead heavily rely upon expensive and insufficient halogen and fluorescent lamps. In responding to climate change as part of our responsibility to safeguard’s God’s creation, we need to explore ways in which we can reduce our carbon footprint.
4.Improved heating
We have identified that one of the most important challenges facing our church is providing sufficient comfort for the many different users of our church for worshippers and visitors, from groups and meetings to church services and events.
At present, we only have five of our eight gas overhead heaters in the nave and chancel in working order, with no heating in place for the side aisles or chapels, resulting in the church being poorly heated during the winter. As a result, many of our congregation complain about being too hot when sat underneath a gas heater, or too cold when sat elsewhere due to the heat not circulating around the church. There is also a redundant underfloor heating system through metal grates in the floor.
An improved heating system would improve the experience of our congregation and visitors, as well as the groups who use our church during the week.
We recognise that heating makes up the vast majority of our energy use and carbon footprint. It also costs money to run and maintain. We are also mindful that as a Grade II listed building, we must be as energy sufficient as possible when it comes to heating. We therefore want to explore the possibility of installing a combination of new fan convector heaters at the west end and side aisles, together with a combination under pew heaters, suspended Herschel pulsar units and aspect heaters.
5.Upgraded toilet facilities
The existing toilet is not disabled friendly. It is extremely small, poorly ventilated, damp, and is only accessible via some small hazardous steps. The toilet is also not big enough to allow parents and guardians to assist their children when going to the toilet or having to change.
We are conscious of the need to have an accessible toilet, as a number of our congregation and visitors have additional needs. As we are also increasingly having more young families with their children who require changing facilities. Furthermore, due to the size of our church and the number of people attending major events and services, we want to explore the possibility of having more than one toilet, thereby ensuring we have good access and modern amenities to all those visiting the church.
In addition, due to the church’s location and footfall, we have identified that having accessible toilets would also be extremely welcomed by visitors and members of the public.
6.Improved kitchen facilities
The existing kitchen under the tower is extremely small and is not convenient when our volunteers and visitors use their amenities. The facilities are particularly dated, in a poor state of repair and not up to modern hygiene standards. The kitchen is also not sufficiently equipped to adequately cater for large gatherings, something which is noted by our congregations at church festivals and visitors at concerts. The kitchen’s current location is also poorly ventilated and has minimal natural light. It is inadequately located, with multiple doors having to be navigated by visitors in order to gain access for refreshments.
We have started offering basic services, including toast and bacon butties in addition to our expanded offerings of tea, coffee and cakes at church services and open café events. We are therefore wanting to ensure our kitchen is fit for purpose in order to accommodate our current requirements, as well as being able to offer a more substantive offering for larger events.
7.Expanded space for services and events
St Cyr’s Church is the largest public community venue in Stonehouse and are actively used by the wider community, from cafes and exhibitions, to concerts and charity sales. This is in addition to our community pastoral support through baptisms, weddings and funerals.
The Stroudwater Team recently adopted a Five-Year Strategic Plan, with St Cyr’s Church taking a central role in seeking to become more efficient and effective in its ministry by becoming more substantiable in the long term. As a result, we are seeking to ensure our church can continue being used for the diverse variety of services and events we offer. Our capacity is approximately 200 people and are therefore looking at ways to ensure everyone has an enjoyable experience when visiting our church. As per The Taylor Review, we want to embrace a wider, more imaginative and more strategic use of our church building.
We have identified the west end of the church as being a location to expand, ensuring a larger more flexible space being provided to enable us to serve refreshments, as well as a place to hold our fund-raising events and exhibitions. An expanded space at the back of the church would enhance these types of events, the experience of our visitors as well as flexibility in how our existing events are conducted.
As part of an expanded west end, we have noted that the font may require relocating. However baptism families have asked for the font to be relocated to allow better engagement with the congregation and baptism during the christening.
8.Creation of small meeting area
We heavily rely upon the work of our volunteers, who make a huge contribution to keeping our church open for the enjoyment of all. Many of our volunteers regularly get together for meetings, which are currently held in the rooms at the west end of the church. However these rooms are poorly ventilated and have minimal natural light. They find these rooms poorly configured, in particular inadequate heating and lighting. As such, we have identified a need to create an appropriately sized area to enable our groups to hold their meetings.
These rooms are also used by young families during our Family Service, who have complained that they feel disconnected from the rest of the church. Young families have said that they would appreciate a space so that they can engage with us during our time of worship, whilst also being able to keep their children entertained.
9.Increased space and facilities for musicians and performers
We have identified music to be a significant part of our outreach going forward, with our church already being blessed with an organist, music group and other organisations who use the church for concerts and performances. We find this to be a great way to make connections with our local community, as well as a way of spreading the load of caring for our church.
The organ is poorly located at the back of the church as it is too far away from our music group who perform at the front of the church. This also causes problems for the rehearsals, including with external choirs, when there is a significance gap between the organist and conductor. The east end of the church is poorly designed, with multiple steps, plinths and uneven floors making it difficult for singers and musicians to perform during church services and concerts.
We would therefore like to explore the possibility of moving the organ closer to the east end of the church, utilising the space around the organ as potentially storage facilitates for the music group, thereby ensuring equipment and resources are not detracting from the altar and east window. We would also like to consider remodelling the east end chancel, ensuring a much better fit for our musicians and singers during church services and concerts.
10. Reduced distance between altar and congregation
Due to the current location of the pews and altar, there is a difference gap, resulting in a poor level of engagement between the minister and their congregation. We recently moved an altar closer to the congregation, which has been widely welcomed by the congregation, although we appreciate a more permanent change will be required to make this arrangement work in the long term.
If this area of the church was remodelled, it would improve the level of interaction between the congregation and the minister at our Family Services, especially where engagement with young people is so important and our desire to become more inclusive.
What is the evidence for the need?
We conducted a survey of visitors over a weekend event in June 2016 where we set out our main ideas for improving the church facilities. We asked what improvements would be good to see. There was a minimal return of questionnaires with direct contradiction in answers.
In 2020, the Stroudwater Team embarked upon a series of discussions and consultations regarding its long-term future. An outline Five-Year Plan was published in December 2020 and circulated to all PCCs for discussion and comment, with broad agreement to the proposals in principle.
In February 2021, a working group was formed and developed the proposals to formulate a specific and cohesive plan. Following weekly meetings for almost four months via Zoom. During this time there were further detailed discussions with PCCs and congregations, as well as external consultations with clergy from the Deanery and Diocese. A Five-Year Strategic Plan was formally presented to PCCs in June 2021, which was initially presented over a series of presentation evenings. Following individual PCC consultations, the vast majority of PCCs within the Stroudwater Team, including Stonehouse, adopted the Five-Year Strategic Plan.
As part of the Five-Year Strategic Plan, St Cyr’s Church has been identified as a key part of the long-term viability of the Stroudwater Team, including the opportunities for mission, evangelism and outreach. This includes the need to embrace new opportunities to connect with children and young people, as well as with life event families through baptisms, weddings and funerals. In order to achieve this, it has been identified that the hospitality of St Cyr’s Church for church services and events needs to be reviewed.
A further online public consultation was held between December 2021 and February 2022, in which these plans and drawings were shown to responders online. We had 66 responses, with 89% saying the proposals would provide an improved experience for visitors. 94% liked the expanded space at the back of the church and the proposals to create step free access. 90% said the church required upgraded toilet and kitchen facilities and 82% saying the church required upgraded heating and lighting. 80% like the new rooms under the tower and in the lady chapels. 79% said they thought the Reordering Project would benefit them, their household and the wider community.
How is the proposal contributing to the need for environmental sustainability?
The opportunity to review the lighting arrangements at St Cyr’s Church through a combination of upgraded LED artificial and increased natural light would make a positive contribution towards the environment. Replacing our existing lights with LED lighting is an efficient form of modern lighting. It will reduce energy consumption and reduce costs. Similarly opening up more windows will allow more natural light to flow into the church, thereby reducing our reliance on the use of artificial lights. Similarly our church service times are held during the day in order to make use of natural light.
Similarly the replacement of our existing overhead gas heaters with appropriately located efficient heaters would be a more efficient use of our reliance upon gas, especially with an energy efficient gas boiler. The use of a low carbon heating alternative is key to becoming ‘net zero’ and we are proposing to use several electric heaters to assist us when we require quick heat in smaller areas.
The installation of a new internal porch will significantly help with draughts, which have made church users uncomfortable and has been a source of heat loss.
It is intended for the new toilets to be low flush toilets, which will use fewer litres of water per flush. This matters not just because it avoids wasting the water itself, but because of all the energy it takes to gather, clean, and transport drinking quality water to the church, only to be used flushing the toilet.
To encourage people to come to church in a low-carbon way, it is proposed to install bike racks in the churchyard beside the north porch.