St John the Baptist Church in Dodworth is set to close its doors permanently after the diocese concluded the cost of making the Grade II‑listed building safe is beyond its means. Detailed surveys of the church, prompted by concerns over the condition of the roof, have identified repair work totalling in excess of £250,000.
Immediate impact and next steps
The building was temporarily closed to the congregation in May amid safety fears. Church leaders say the extent of the work required — including replacing the roof with appropriate materials to preserve the building’s listed status — means they do not have the funds to proceed.
“A new roof would need to have Welsh slate because it’s a Grade II‑listed building… The costs are now coming in in excess of £250,000… We simply don’t feel that we can raise that amount of money,” Canon Keith Farrow told the Chronicle.
A consultation meeting is scheduled to take place at Green Road Methodist Church on 12 August at 7pm, where parishioners and residents will be able to hear more about the decision and ask questions about the future of the site.
What is known about the condition and costs
Surveys have focused on the roof and other structural elements affected by long‑term disrepair. As a listed building, any restoration must use specified materials — in this case Welsh slate for the roof — which raises the cost compared with standard repairs. Canon Farrow described the emotional difficulty of the decision, noting the church’s role in baptisms, marriages and funerals over many decades.
- Building: St John the Baptist, Dodworth (Grade II‑listed)
- Estimated cost: in excess of £250,000
- Current status: Temporarily closed since May; now proposed permanent closure
- Consultation: Green Road Methodist Church, 12 August, 7pm
Local significance and wider context
St John the Baptist has served Dodworth for well over a century and has been integral to community life. The proposed closure will remove a local venue for religious services and life‑events and raises questions about the long‑term stewardship of historic churches in the area. Across the country, parishes and dioceses face similar dilemmas where repair costs for listed buildings exceed available funds.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Listing status | Grade II |
| Principal issue | Roof in disrepair requiring Welsh slate |
| Estimated repair cost | In excess of £250,000 |
| Public meeting | 12 August, 7pm at Green Road Methodist Church |
For residents concerned about the loss of the church, the upcoming consultation will set out the diocese’s position and the options being considered. Those with memories, records or artefacts associated with St John the Baptist may wish to raise them at the meeting or contact the diocese in advance.
The case highlights the practical challenges of preserving historic religious buildings in small communities, where conservation rules and the cost of traditional materials can make repairs prohibitively expensive. The outcome for St John the Baptist will be closely watched locally as an example of how such tensions between heritage protection and funding realities are resolved.
