Future Of The Old Church

Wakefield Diocese has now set out its intentions to demolish the old church building in Stanley by putting an advert in the Wakefield Express a few weeks ago. We thought we would share some of the comments you have been leaving us in our comments box on the recent updates page, along with details of how you can put your objections of the proposed demolition in writing to Wakefield Diocese. It would be a very sad day for Stanley if the church was demolished, the twin towers have been a landmark in the area for almost 200 years, lets hope something of the old church can be incorporated into some kind of landmark on the site.

The application

The advert below appeared in the Wakefield Express on Friday 2nd March

What you can do

You can either write to, or email Mr Ross Brazier, the Closed Churches Division, Church Commissioners, Church House, Great Smith Street, London, SW1P 3AZ, or by email to ross.brazier@churchofengland.org Any communications after Saturday March 31st will not be used as a representation folks, so please voice your opinions now.

Your comments

Several weeks ago we asked you to leave your comments in the comments box on the recent updates page, below are just a few of them.

“Such a shame, so sad to look at the state it's in now. I just can't help but think its too late to save this church. I would love to see it restored to it's former glory. I know we have the church centre but its just not the same.”

“This is most magnificent building and has good and bad over 100 years, Saint Peters Church has seen happy venues to surviving a major fire back to happy times then shut down and left to rot. This monumental site does not deserve to be ripped down and never been seen by the next generation. I am against tearing down this church as they would tear away loving memories with it!”

“The demolition of the Church has been on the horizon for some time. It will be a sad day for Stanley, I will put in my objection but will they be acted upon. I very much doubt it.”

“It will be sad to see the church go, I lived in Stanley for 29 years and my husband and I was the last couple to get married there so its a piece of history for us which won't be forgotten.”

“I agree with everyone's sentiments that it would be a shame to loose such a beautiful building but, we must not forget that realistically, the running costs of this building are/were astronomical. Maintaining such a building with all its inherent faults would be costly but if it has to go, why not re-cycle the stone and beautiful woodwork to create a smaller scale building, giving us a church where it should be...in the church yard. I'm sure the technology is out there to "stabilise" the land below the church and resurrect the site to something of its former glory.”

“This has been on the cards for years, myself and Mary Wilson, who own Stanley Laundrette raised a petition, just a few years ago when the council wanted to convert the church into apartments, and build 5 family homes at the rear of the church overlooking the churchyard, this would have involved moving some graves. at least we managed to stop the conversion work and things have remained quiet ever since. I feel sadly that the church is a lost cause, but we hoped that a smaller church could be built to the rear, out of the stone of our existing church. the church officials have wanted the church closed for years saying that it would cost too much to repair, and that no one was interested. Our ancestors saved that church with their bare hands, running down to the river with buckets to put out the flames, maybe we should think about a memorial garden behind the towers if the church is unsafe, I have worshipped in that church since I was a girl, and sung in the church choir back in the seventies, and cleaned the floors, and even cut the grass in the church yard. just because we don’t worship their anymore doesn’t mean we don’t care”

"Put it back to the use it was built for in the first place"

"This church should be restoed to its former glory either by a lottery grant or by the vicararage being sold and the vicar moving into a " normal " family home this has being a landmark for stanley for many years and should remain that"

"Renovated back to the magnificent building that it is"

"It is such a shame to loose church, such a beautiful building but if the towers could be saved a part of history would remain for us to show our future generations, along with a seating area open to all , what else can be done now? lets get it done before its to late and all is lost. As for the font could this not be moved to the church centre and used there? i used to stare in wonder when it was raised for baptisms and you could see the dove of peace, what memories have our children got so far, a ruin fenced off!"

"The church is a magnificent building as this photo shows,my family for generations have worshiped there,whatever your religious beliefs are no one can deny it will be a sad day when it disapears from our skyline.i personally would like to see it restored but i also understand in this day an age raising the money would be nigh on impossible, one hundred years ago it would have been found"

"How sad it would be to see such a wonderful church demolished. The towers at the very least should be kept, but best of all the church should be made good. It is beautiful."

“As I was Christened in this Church I believe that at least some form of memorial to the Church should be erected.”

“I have lived on Lake Lock Road for many years now, and is a feature when looking out of my upstairs window. If it disappears it will be tragic. We lose the church and the village loses its identity. The only twin towered church in Yorkshire as well. Even if the twin towers could be saved, that would be a fitting tribute to a much loved landmark.”

“Should be renovated back to it's former glory, I agree, they did it in 1912, that's two hundred years ago, it would have cost a lot then, but they did it, the church centre will never be anything but a school, in my opinion, and I don't believe the diocese, when they say nothing can be done, they just want to sell the stone, as they put it "to reap some money back", typical church of England, they are greedier and richer than anybody, it's not their church or village, it's ours, and we need to fight for what is ours.”

“How sad it would be to let our church go, I have such a lot of memories, weddings christening and I and my brothers and sisters went to church three times on a Sunday we enjoyed every moment. I visit the church yard every week I have a lot of family and friends laid to rest there and that is where I will be, so please try and save our church.”

“St Peters Church is the only church in the uk that as twin towers how can you pull it down .the people of Stanley paid for the rebuild of st peters after the fire. People want to go to church with their children to learn them about god. If the church goes then you might as well say good by to Stanley.”

“Absolute disgrace!”

Please keep adding your comments in the box below, they will be added to the site in the coming days