A 13th-century church in Yapham, East Yorkshire, will officially close by the end of the year after falling into a “state of disrepair”.
The Parochial Church Council (PCC) estimates that restoring the Church of St Martin would cost more than £500,000, which is beyond what local supporters can raise. Historic England added the church to its risk register in 2024, noting urgent repairs needed to the roof, drainage systems, and windows.
According to the BBC, David Millican, lay chair of the PCC at Yapham, described the closure as “the end of a very long and upsetting saga.”
He said: “After many physical and civil engineering checks, we've discovered there is so much wrong with it, it would cost over half a million to rebuild it.”
The PCC revealed that around £17,000 has already been spent assessing potential repairs, but the work required is “well beyond the reach of the people to raise the money for it.”
The building, originally constructed on clay, began to show structural slippage in one corner, a problem that became more apparent in 2023. A stained-glass window was also removed that year following professional advice.
No formal decision has been made on whether the church will be demolished, but the doors have been locked, and a formal closure process is underway. The graveyard will remain open, and families may continue to be buried there.
A Historic England spokesperson told the BBC: “We are sorry to hear the PCC haven't been able to raise the funds needed to carry out the programme of works to repair the church and the closure puts the site at further risk. Sadly, many well-loved rural churches like St Martin's remain vulnerable due to the challenges of on-going repairs and maintenance as well as long-term structural issues.”
