WORK on the £3 million restoration project at an historic Wokingham church has begun, including a consultation on the relocation of some memorial stones.
The proposals for All Saints in Wiltshire Road include building a parish room in the churchyard connected to the clergy vestry. It will also link to the existing Cornerstone community centre by a covered walkway.
Before the new room is built, known memorials need to be moved, and the church has pledged to consult with surviving relatives.
And “where necessary” the stones will be relocated within the churchyard. Only tombstones are affected, and no remains would be disturbed.
A spokesperson for the Diocese of Oxford said: “The Church of England system for obtaining permissions for works to churches and in churchyards is very rigorous and gives extensive consideration to not only the need for the proposed changes but also how they will be undertaken.
“This ensures that historic fabric is properly assessed and retained wherever possible, as well as minimising any impact on graves and memorials.”
They said where there was an impact, consultations had to be made legally to heirs and to the wider community.
“In order to provide the new community facilities a number of memorials will be relocated. Details of these, and where they are to be relocated to, are available to view in the church porch.”
The first phase, which costs £1 million, will begin in spring next year and aims to create a space for all.
It will include removing the pews and replacing them with flexible seating and a new floor. It is hoped this will make social distancing and cleaning the chairs easier. Plans to alter the church floor are currently being approved by the Diocese of Oxford and planning permission has been granted.
A new door and disabled toilets will also be added to make the buildings more accessible, and there will be improvements to the kitchen and sound system.
The Revd Canon David Hodgson, the Rector of All Saints, said: “Our spaceforall project is an ambitious one that aims to provide a modern community space for Wokingham for generations to come.
“This is a real opportunity to bless the community in a time when people are in even more need of somewhere they can go for support.
“We have talked to a lot of different organisations who are in need of meeting spaces. The Cornerstone community centre is already well used and often fully booked.
“The work will transform All Saints into a hub for a variety of projects as well as Christian worship.
“We have been grateful for the support of the people of Wokingham, our congregation, the Diocese of Oxford and all of the donors that are helping the vision become a reality.”
All Saints Church is the oldest public building in Wokingham town centre and is a listed building of historical importance.
A heritage project involving history enthusiasts from the town has been launched, along with a bid for National Lottery heritage funding.
The article published in the print edition of Wokingham.Today of September 3, mistakenly said that graves would be relocated. It is tombstones and memorials – no bodies are being moved. We apologise for our error and any distress that this may have caused. We will feature more on the plans for All Saints in forthcoming editions.
