[Church of England] In a House of Lords debate on support for the craft industry, bishops warned that recent funding cuts threaten both heritage and livelihoods across the country.
Southwark Bishop Christopher Chessun described the reduction in the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme as “a real body blow,” noting that the Church of England cares for the nation’s largest portfolio of listed buildings, primarily through local parish efforts.
He warned that capping support for already-contracted projects is placing vital restoration works at risk, including a $1.3 million shortfall at Holy Trinity, Clapham, and that another major fabric project in his diocese has been put on hold.
He stressed in the June 13 debate that churches sustain a wide range of endangered crafts, from stone carving and stained glass to bell founding, organ building and textiles. Without church commissions and the apprenticeships they support, these skills could disappear.
He highlighted recent work in the Diocese of Southwark, such as bell casting in Roehampton, organ refurbishment in Kennington and a contemporary Anglo-Saxon embroidery project in Kingston, all now under threat. Yet many of these crafts are not currently recognized by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as “core” heritage activities.
Chichester Bishop Martin Warner, a member of the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England, echoed these concerns, pointing to the multigenerational craftsmanship found in cathedrals like St. Paul’s, where today’s masons continue the work of their parents.
He spoke of the wider social and economic benefits of heritage projects, from appreciation of history by students from areas with high deprivation near Rochester and Durham cathedrals, to outreach through cathedral textiles that bring people of all faiths and backgrounds into creative engagement with sacred spaces. Cathedral music, he noted, is even being used effectively in probation services.
The bishops urged the U.K. government to secure and expand future funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, not only to protect historic buildings but to safeguard the living traditions and skilled people who bring them to life.
“Heritage is not just about bricks and mortar,” Chessun said, “but about the people and communities who flourish when these crafts are nurtured.”