OBORNE OLD ST. CUTHBERT’S MARCH 2021 CHURCH PLAN Part A - Current Report Part B - Survey Results of our open survey conducted in Summer and Autumn 2020, canvassing all community contacts for their reaction to Part A. The survey remains open and available at this location. Please feel free to repeat your survey response or complete the survey for the first time. Part C - Community Recommendations Minutes of any community meetings held to discuss the information available in other parts of the Church Plan. Part D - Action Plan Details of any actions agreed through Community Recommendations, assigned to community participants, Churches Conservation Trust staff, or to the Churches Conservation Trust Local Community Officer specifically. Part A - Current Report Church Introduction & Statement of Significance The Old St Cuthbert's Church in Oborne, Dorset, England was built in 1533. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building, and is a redundant church in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. It was declared redundant on 18 December 1973, and was vested in the Trust on 23 July 1975. Only the chancel remains of St Cuthbert's Church, which would have been one of the last to be built before the Reformation, following the demolition of the nave in the 1860s. The neglected chancel was restored in the 1930s, when a new incumbent began to restore it, taking advice from A. R. Powys (secretary of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings) who was also responsible for the restoration of St Andrew's Church at Winterborne Tomson. The parish of Oborne had been given to Sherborne Abbey by the Saxon King Edgar in the 10th century and it remained a chapel of ease to the abbey until the Dissolution in 1539. The interior includes mediaeval slip tiles and communion rails, pulpit and monuments from the 17th century. The pillar piscina and font were brought to St Cuthbert's from North Wootton. Above the lintels of windows on the east and north sides are inscriptions entreating prayers for the good standing of Abbot John Myer (1533) and Sacristan John Dunster of Sherborne. A new parish church, designed by William Slater, was built on a fresh site in the village and consecrated in 1862. Current use (bookings) & voluntary activity St. Cuthbert’s currently enjoys permission from The Church of England for six Sunday services each year and four additional services on an occasional basis. However, due to the size of the church and lack of parking, there are very few services other than the annual Trinity Sunday service. For some years a candle lit carol service led by a local vocal group was held just before 2 Christmas and was well attended. This event has now ceased due to the lack of heating, parking and the vocal group disbanding. A request has been made to the Trust from community members to install a plaque and an information board in the church about Robert Goadby, newspaper owner of the Sherborne Mercury which is now the Western Gazette. Voluntary activity undertaken by a local resident includes ● Unlocking and locking ● Cleaning when required ● Ad hoc reporting of building change and requesting replacement leaflets ● Organising grounds maintenance Voluntary action undertaker by area volunteer includes ● Remittance of wall safe funds ● Reporting of visitor numbers Collection Review Open Churches Policy status: Unlocked Local Community Officer: Tina Osgood Current project: None Cleaning schedule: As required, led by volunteers in accordance with CCT guidelines Maintains stock of current leaflets (note unavailability of future Welcome table: leaflets for re-stock) Keyholder role: Fulfilled Fulfilled (remittances, CCT liaison, volunteer management, Key representative role: maintenance reporting) Area volunteer role: Fulfilled Fundraising roles: Vacant Stewardship roles: Surplus to requirements Research and interpretation project currently being worked on by Research, interp & talks role: local volunteers 3 Accessibility details: Provided via website CCT silver plaque: Installed CCT information board: Installed Oak post: Installed CCT freestanding board: Not installed Wall safe poster: Installed CCT A board: Not installed Gift Aid envelopes: Provided Visitor book: Installed Building services: None Parking: Limited to nearby roads Organ: None Churchyard: Not owned by CCT, maintained by local volunteers 1, hung for chiming but now impossible since alterations to roof Ringable bells: structure and provision of West louvres. Pews: Some damage Fire rated capacity: 40 Seating capacity: 40 (seats are brought in for services) Site plan: Unavailable Roof alarm: Uninstalled CCTV: Uninstalled Individual item security measures: Uninstalled Grange Hotel in Oborne, Sherborne Castle and Gardens, Sherborne Abbey, Sherborne Museum, St John’s Almshouse in Nearby attractions: Sherborne, Sherborne Old Castle Public transport: Sherborne Station (1.4 miles) Social media presence: Nil Images on CCT website: One of three Regular feature parish news: No Services per year: 1 on Trinity Sunday CofE support for services: Yes Christmas memory tree: No Tea Party: No Heritage Open Days: No Ride & Stride: No 4 No. For further information, please see Champing introduction Champing: and typical church income at appendix 4. Retail: No, possible Risk assessment general: Current Risk assessment fire: Current COSHH listing: Current Portable appliance listing: Current Security Audit: Current Children’s explorer cart: No, surplus to requirements Children’s trail: No Conservation reports Annualised maintenance costs (Exclusive of VAT): Annualised maintenance costs express the total costs of church maintenance divided by 25 years. Every cost which relates to maintenance is included except the twice-yearly maintenance visit. Any anticipated repairs are also excluded. A list of typical maintenance tasks for any historic church, forecast over the period, is available to view at appendix 2. £2,439.44 Routine maintenance costs (Per annum and exclusive of VAT): Total cost of two maintenance visits per year exclusive of any additional maintenance items included above. A list of the maintenance tasks included in the twice-annual maintenance visits is available to view at appendix 3. £524.40 Other maintenance costs total (Exclusive of VAT): Additional maintenance needs discovered during twice-yearly maintenance visits, costed and listed individually below. £450.00 Maintenance Liability (Exclusive of VAT): £350 - Repair door £300.00 - Repair to northern blocked in mullion £50.00 5 Total short term repairs: £4,450.00 Small scale items of limited cost which could be fulfilled with minimal fundraising. - Repointing of ridge tiles £1,950.00 - Conservation of windows and door frames £2,500.00 Total medium term repairs: More expensive needs such as roof repairs and tower repairs which may require more involved fundraising and grant applications. £2,750.00 - Making good of internal plaster finishes £2,750.00 Total long term repairs: Items which are known to require works in the longer term but which are not essential in the near future. £16,250.00 - Removal of external cement pointing and repointing £14,500.00 - Window guards £1,250.00 - Fencing £500.00 Total desirable repairs: Repairs which are not essential to the conservation health of the church but which might improve aesthetics or usability of the building. £0.00 All cost figures are estimates, exclusive of VAT and professional fees. VAT is charged at 20% of the total costs and can sometimes be recovered. Professional fees vary, but are either charged at an hourly rate or as a percentage of the total project cost. These are usually charged only on larger or more complex projects. 6 Income, Expenditure & Balances Income Wall Safe Total Income 2019/20 £105 £105 2018/19 £146 £146 2017/18 £400 £400 2016/17 £59 £59 2015/16 £212 £212 Visitors Wall safe income per visitor 2019-20 1,933 £0.05 2018-19 2,692 £0.05 2017-18 2,667 £0.15 2016-17 2,505 £0.02 2015-16 4,032 £0.05 Expenditure Total spend since vesting 23rd July 1975 (non maintenance): £45,671 Conservation (repair) expenditure Maintenance expenditure 2019-20 £0 £577 2018-19 £0 £871 2017-18 £0 £646 7 2016-17 £0 £958 2015-16 £823 £823 Balances The restricted balance is the amount of money which has been covenanted or restricted for expenditure at the church. Any expenditure needs to match the terms of the covenant under which the money was donated, for example, a term expressing that a donation is intended for roof repairs only. Restricted Balance Report Jul 2019 £0 Income less expenditure 2019/20 -£105 Income less annualised maintenance 2019/20 -£2,334.44 Local Community Officer’s Summary This pretty chancel benefits greatly from the care of a dedicated local volunteer who keeps a regular eye, ensuring that it is kept clean and the churchyard maintained with the help of his son, as well as reporting any issues to the Trust. Due to the lack of regular services at St Cuthbert’s there are no service collections and the local community are very unlikely to be aware of the repair liability costs. This information could be shared through updates to the parish newsletter and inclusion of church reports at parish council meetings. Potential involvement, interest and use by the local school may also enable the community to communicate church needs to pupils’ parents, and extend offers of booked use to this prospective audience for alternative uses. The chancel could be promoted through location agents for filming, photography, small weddings, concerts and audio recordings. Additional marketing could focus on historical societies with an interest in the history of journalism and the press with its links to Robert Goadby, which has been written about by Roger Gutteridge, local journalist and writer. 8 The site has very limited open floor space for alternative use but could be considered as a venue for Champing. Additional revenue could derive from promotion of local, sympathetic businesses seeking to promote services and products through signage at the church.