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Twydall’s iconic Holy Trinity Church is in line for demolition, Alan W Collins has learned.
The Diocese of Rochester has taken the ‘drastic’ move to apply for permission to pull down the 1960s-era church and start again, as building costs have spiraled out of control.
The Church’s vicar, The Rev Gill Tovar, called the decision ‘heartbreaking’, saying ‘we have looked at so many options over the yearsm but it is a very expensive building to maintain.
‘We needed £25,000 to mend the roof, which we found somehow through hard work and generosity. But we don’t have a benefactor and simply don’t have the kind of money here in Twydall to carry out vital repairs.
‘Believe me, it is not a decision we have taken lightly. But I have seen the plans and I am very excited.’
For twelve years the Church, and its congregation, has found the money to make necessary repairs, but it is now faced with a £250,000 repair bill which it just cannot reach.
One resident of Twydall told the News that it was a ‘pretty drastic measure’ and that ‘to the people in Twydall it is an iconic building’.
Plans for the site after the demolition include a smaller, more modern church, affordable housing and flats andplanning permission is being considered by Medway Council this month.
The plans will be on display at the church’s summer fete on Saturday.
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A disgrace. I don’t recall a parish wide appeal or consultation and to demolish this iconic building is a travesty. I suspect it wil be replaced with some kind of happy clappy multi-purpose ’space’ to pander to the trendies. And what of the pews and the organ (which David Lucas worked so hard to get). No, we probably don’t want anything like a decent organ in the new church and well have some nasty electronic instrument.
It strikes me that all of this has been done largely behind closed doors and how convenient that developer have stepped in. Smacks of the money changers outside the temple to me.
I have many hapy memories but stopped attending in around 1990 because of it being ‘low church’. It was thriving and everything has gone down hill since Canon Peter left. I’m disapointed that after some 9 years in the post, we have seen little evidence of the current incumbent walking the parish and making sure everyone knows who she is. the money can be found to do the work and to up-grade the hall and both buildings are fit for ourpose. A parish wide appeal would do the trick. Has anyone been in contact with English Heritage or the 20th Centrury Society. THis building has got to be saved. I can imagine George Clements, Jean and Jim Spurgeon and Jessie Grierson turning in their grave.
The problem is that the C of E tries to be all things to all and latches on to the latest trend. The wonder of the old service and BCP was the mystery and poetry. The church has made things to every day and people need to get away form the every day. I used to look forward to going to church because it was something special. I’ve now joined the congregation at St Luke’s which is my family church and I enjoy the high service full of things out of the ordinary.
I would glady support an appeal to retain Holy T and it’s a shame that people haven’t been up-front about these plans sooner. The parish is large enough to get people to support a place of worship and an appeal to retain it.
My Wife and I were one of the first to be married in this church on October 10th 1964 We think this is a travestry to even think of pulling down a church of such a unique design
I heard about this some months ago and I can`t believe that every avenue has been explored to save this building. I looked into the possibility of getting an emergency “listing” but was persuaded not to because I have such a distinctive name and Mum was worried about what people might think. I understand somebody else has now made an application. Has anybody approached the congregation of Ightham church ?? I was led to believe that Twydall church had close relations with Ightham !
It is indeed very sad that there is the possibility that the Church building will be demolished. But what I find even more sad is that the loudest protests come from people who very rarely, if ever set foot inside the Church. The regular congregation is small compared with the size of a church designed for the size of the parish and not the size of the congregation. Even if a parish wide appeal, as Jonathan Locke, suggests would raise sufficient funds to repair the building, or Ightham Church were able to pay for them (which seems unlikely) who will continue to donate money to the Church to continue to maintain the building and build up a reserve ready for the next repair bill. I myself make a monthly contribution to the Church and my dearest wish is that ,one day, this money may be used to carry out God’s work in the parish and beyond rather than to keep a very noisy and costly roof on the building.
I have to admit that I am not a regular visitor to the church nowadays as I no longer live in the parish. But I have had close links with the church ever since my christening way back in …..oh well it`s a long time ago lol…..I was in the choir and took part in the sponsored singing that was broadcast from loud speakers outside the church. People came in throughout the day with requests for songs and I seem to remember David Lucas playing the organ all day long !!!
I may have got my events mixed up but wasn`t that to raise money for the new organ ?
My mother is still actively involved in church activities and both my sister and myself and our families have helped on numerous occasions over the years with fund raising activities. It`s possible that I may not have been noticed as most of my contributions have been “out of hours” !
I fully understand the problems involved with the dwindling congregation and the issues that must arise but have ALL avenues really been explored to save this incredible, unique building. There must be grants available and , seriously would anybody contemplate the destruction of Rochester Cathedral just because it was getting a bit expensive to heat ?? !
The building of Holy Trinity is cold in winter and hot in summer. If there is more than a gentle breeze it feels and sounds as if it will ‘take off’. Whilst some people feel it is ‘iconic’ I and some of my friends feel it is simply a quirky design with little in the way of practicality.
It seems that the views of a ‘few’ vocal protesters who do not even use the church are being placed above those who actually use it. In addition it uses up funds which the Church of England could surely be used for more general good i.e. funding services for local people such as luncheon clubs for the elderly and children’s services. Paying in excess of £250,000 just to keep a roof on does seem a waste of good money which could be well spent on more worthy projects.
I am not a member of Holy Trinity, I actually attend a baptist church 500 yards up the road, however, I do have the pleasure of attending regular joint services at Holy Trinity as well as other events and know that this is causing much distress to the congregation as they struggle to maintain relevance in the local community and keep their heads ‘above water’.
If the congregation of Holy Trinity are struggling to maintain relevence in the local community and are finding it difficult to keep their heads above water, maybe they should be thinking more about the “common good” rather than their own comfort !!
Has anybody looked into the possibility of selling the church building itself and using the money to renovate the old church hall which was originally the church anyway ?
Surely the church building itself gives much more pleasure and relevence to the whole of the local community rather than to simply be a comfortable place for the dwindling church going community to spend their Sundays ??
I`ve been talking to a few people and I`ve had a little search and I`m afraid that the only reference to the this problem I can find through Google is on this site. Now …..no disrespect to Alan Collins but it has been claimed that attempts were made to find alternatives to the destruction of the church ……I feel that if this were true, there would be other references to it on the net .
It also appears that some parishioners of the church were unaware of the plans until they were presented as a “fait accompli” ….
So there is a question …..What avenues were, in fact , explored before it was decided by the chosen few to destroy this historic landmark ?
I`ve noticed that most of the people in favour of destroying the church have simply added their name and address to a standard letter supplied by the current vicar. Seems they can`t even be bothered to write a letter themselves !!
Alan Collins wants to knock it down as well …which, of course is his perogative but I note the statement “alternatives explored,and several attempts at fundraising, have proved fruitless “….I`ll ask again
What REAL attempts have been made and what avenues explored to save this unique building ?