This week, The Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Revd Christopher Chessun – as Duty Bishop in the House of Lords – has been leading prayers at the start of business each day.
Taking the opportunity of being in the House of Lords, Bishop Christopher took part in debate and put questions to the Government. This included questions during Thursday’s debate on the support of traditional craft skills in cathedrals and churches.
In his speech, Bishop Christopher highlighted that the Church of England has care of the largest portfolio of listed buildings in the country and through extraordinary parish endeavours, keeps alive many craft skills in the restoration and renewal of our buildings.
He said, “These buildings are the beating heart of our communities,” adding that “curbs by the Government to the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme were a significant hindrance to this and to our nation’s skill base.”
In a press release Bishop Christopher and The Bishop of Chichester, Dr Martin Warner, called on the Government to renew its support for traditional crafts.
Read the full press release below:
“Heritage is not just about bricks and mortar”: Bishops urge Government to back traditional crafts
In a House of Lords debate on support for the craft industry, led by Lord Freyberg, bishops warned that recent funding cuts threaten both heritage and livelihoods across the country. The Bishop of Southwark, Christopher Chessun, described the reduction in the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme (LPWGS) as “a real body blow”, noting that the Church of England cares for the nation’s largest portfolio of listed buildings, primarily through local parish efforts. He warned that capping support for already-contracted projects is placing vital restoration works at risk, including a £1 million shortfall at Holy Trinity, Clapham, and that another major fabric project in his diocese has been put on hold.
He stressed that churches sustain a wide range of endangered crafts, from stone carving and stained glass to bell founding, organ building, and textiles. Without church commissions and the apprenticeships they support, these skills could disappear. He highlighted recent work in Southwark Diocese, such as bell casting in Roehampton, organ refurbishment in Kennington, and a contemporary Anglo-Saxon embroidery project in Kingston, all now under threat. Yet many of these crafts are not currently recognised by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) as “core” heritage activities.
The Bishop of Chichester, Dr Martin Warner, a member of the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England, echoed these concerns, pointing to the multigenerational craftsmanship found in cathedrals like St Paul’s, where today’s masons continue the work of their parents. He spoke of the wider social and economic benefits of heritage projects, from appreciation of history by students from areas with high deprivation, near Rochester and Durham cathedrals, to outreach through cathedral textiles that brings people of all faiths and backgrounds into creative engagement with sacred spaces. Cathedral music, he noted, is even being used effectively in probation services.
The bishops urged the Government to secure and expand future funding for LPWGS, not only to protect historic buildings, but to safeguard the living traditions and skilled people who bring them to life.
“Heritage is not just about bricks and mortar,” the Bishop of Southwark said, “but about the people and communities who flourish when these crafts are nurtured.”
