Newark Parish Church among churches listed on Historic England's Heritage at Risk register
Newark Parish Church is again among numerous historic churches in the area at risk due to decay.
Historic England's Heritage at Risk register 2022 has been published, with thirteen Advertiser area churches making the list.
Among those is the Church of St Mary Magdalene — known as Newark Parish Church — listed as a high priority and said to be at immediate risk of further rapid deterioration, with no solution for it's conservation and repair agreed.
The church has several leaking roofs, open jointed stonework and broken windows as well as blocked drainage. The building was also a victim of heritage crime.
It was listed for the same reasons last year, however work towards a solution is now well under way.
Churchwarden Andrew Fearn said: "St Mary Magdalene has stood at the heart of Newark for very many centuries, and it is not only the beating heart of the town but also a centre for Christian worship this time.
"It is really important that this next generation does all it can to maintain and repair this old building."
Plans for the church's 're-awakening' have been put to public consultation, with a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant secured by the Parochial Church Council to undertake urgent fabric repairs and install new facilities in the building to make it more accessible.
The work is currently planned to include repairs to the South aisle roof, broken stained glass windows, new toilets, cafe and automatic doors at the west entrance.
To bring the historic building into modern times, and help secure its future, photovoltaic panels are suggested to be installed to generate electricity to light and power the building.
It is hoped the work will allow the building to be removed from the register.
Other high priority churches — meaning they are at serious risk of further decay and have no agreed solution — on the list include the Church of St Margaret, Bilsthorpe, due to general masonry decay and walls becoming unstable, the Church of St Wilfrid, North Muskham, due to a heavily weathered tower, the Church of St Mary, Kilvington, due to widespread stone erosion and a structural fault in the porch, the Church of St Mary, Orston, due to movement of the church tower and interior cracking, and the Church of St Peter, Navenby, due to it being a victim of heritage crime.
The churches were all listed as high priority last year, although some have seen urgent repairs made since that time.
A further five churches are listed as a lower priority, facing slow decay with no solution agreed for their maintenance and repair.
These include the Church of All Saints, Hawton, as its tower is considered unsafe and requires repair, the Parish Church of St Andrew, Langar, due to rainwater management issues and damp threatening important monuments within the church, the Church of St Giles, Cropwell Bishop, due to extensive structural movement, the Church of St Helen, Brant Broughton, which requires repairs to stonework, rainwater disposal and roofs and the Church of St Michael, Brant Broughton, due to internal damp, growths on the internal walls and floors, moderate structural movementand tile replacement needed on the roof.
The Brant Broughton churches are new to the list.
Two churches in the area have been listed as low priority this year, as work is underway to restore the buildings.
The Church of St Nicholas, Hockerton, was at high risk last year, but now a repair scheme is in progress.
Archaeological works have been undertaken, and a new use as an artist's studio has been approved, including various repair schemes and renovations.
Glass blower Ingrid Pears, currently based at Thoresby Park, has been granted planning permission and began work to transform the redundant church into her flagship studio.
Also a low priority, The Church of St Giles, Holme, was a risk of slow deterioration last year, with no solution agreed.
Now the church has had repairs made to the tower masonry, valley gutters, external rendering, and south porch roof.