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1947, and the cost of restoring the fabric of a listed building thus
became a charge on the parishioners.
In the mid nineteen-seventies some members of the Parochial
Church Council came to feel that this financial burden was greater
than was justified in maintaining St. James' in a state fit for
worship (their interest in it as purely an historic building appears
to have been limited), but a proposal to the Parochial Church Council
that restoration should cease was not accepted, largely because affec-
tion for the old stone parish church was greater than for the new
modern (early nineteen-sixties) St. Christopher's.
In 1978, on an initiative from the Diocesan Secretary, an
approach was made to the Historic Buildings Council (the government
agency effectively responsible for listed buildings) and then a
detailed appraisal made of the work needed to completely renovate
the church. The total cost was estimated to be £40,000 but that it
could be divided into three phases (flooring and pews; a heating sys-
tem; decorations and hatchments) each of which could be treated as
distinct - carrying out one phase would not oblige anyone to proceed
to another.
The first phase was costed at £20,000, and as this study was
being written, the Incumbent (as legal owner) had received notification
of £10,000 grant. This grant however is specific - for the work stipu-
lated in Phase One, not general for the whole restoration - and effec-
tively contingent upon the Incumbent raising the other £10,000. Asked
whether this was possible he was distinctly optimistic, but since he
had so far been able to make only tentative enquiries, did not feel
able to disclose what the results had been. Asked about sources he
said there was unlikely to be anything forthcoming from the local
authority (who had declined a request), and that his parishioners
