An Elizabethan church in Greater Manchester has been placed on Historic England’s at-risk register because of a deathwatch beetle infestation.
Historic England says the Grade I listed St Wilfrid’s at Standish, Wigan is a rare example of late 16th-century ecclesiastical architecture and is notable for its early use of Tuscan columns, considered the first of their kind in England. Its richly carved interiors include moulded roof beams, a 17th-century communion rail, and a pulpit dating back to 1616.
Historic England said the infestation is endangering these timber features, and conservation work is needed to protect the church.
Services are still taking place at the church despite the ongoing investigation to discover the scale of the infestation.
The church’s rector Rev Andrew Holliday told the BBC that beetle larvae "burrow into the wood and just chomp away at it, creating lots of dust in the process.
"In the chancel area, what we've discovered is actually some catastrophic damage that the beetle has done over a number of years.
"Some of the enormous timbers are actually hollow."
The deathwatch beetle is a species of woodboring beetle that is known to infest the structural timbers of old buildings. It derived its name from the noise of tapping which was once associated with quiet, sleepless nights and vigils kept beside the dying.
St Wilfrid’s is among 138 sites added to the at-risk register this year. Among them is the Victorian Church of St Mark at Friday Bridge, Cambridgeshire. It has serious structural issues with its leaning spire, which was part of the original 1864 design. The spire's thin brickwork is deteriorating, causing leaks and drainage problems.
As a key village landmark, the church’s Parochial Church Council is launching a community consultation and plans to involve local groups to support restoration efforts and the church’s future.