From conflict to coffee and conversation – the Dorset church that made peace, lost its pews, gained a loo … and found its future
Image: Derek Day
Five years ago, Okeford Fitzpaine hit the headlines and the international press descended on North Dorset, fascinated by stories of angry villagers up in arms over pews being removed from their local church. The dispute fractured relationships in the village and was deeply upsetting for many people. However, today,
St Andrew’s in Okeford Fitzpaine is celebrating a new community space, including a modern servery and an accessible loo.
Why churches need to change
In the last ten years, more than 3,500 churches have closed in England according to the National Churches Trust.
More than 900 places of worship are on Historic England’s Heritage At Risk register. Church congregations are falling and the historic nature of church buildings means their maintenance is both complex and highly expensive.
For an older population, and people with complex health needs, simply getting in and out of narrow pews can also be a challenge. There are also people with medical conditions who want to come to church but are concerned at the lack of loos. Finally, most rural areas rely on clergy who cover several parishes so they do not necessarily live in the parish. There is often nowhere for them to make a coffee or use a toilet – working conditions that would not be acceptable for a basic factory, for example. With rising maintenance costs, churches also need flexibility to remain financially viable.
There was significant scepticism over removing the church pews, creating wide and vocal conflict within the Okeford Fitzpaine community, particularly over the perceived communication about the change. However, once the TV cameras left, the community was gradually able to focus on achieving the desired improvements, including gaining grants and hiring the expert contractors required to progress and complete the work. The project threw up some nasty surprises along the way, including a rotten floor which could have collapsed at any moment. Work also revealed dangerous electrical wiring that needed to be replaced before it caused a fire – again adding significantly to the overall cost.
Parishioner Dilys Gartside was instrumental in managing the project from the start: ‘If anyone had told me this would take ten years, I would have turned around and run in the other direction. At the time, Reverend Lydia Cook was sent to the parish with the remit to lead on this project and to prevent the church from closing. She faced a lot of opposition. We had financial difficulties … but to do nothing wasn’t an option.
‘It took us three and a half years to get a faculty. That’s the Church of England planning permission equivalent, except that it’s nowhere near as easy as getting planning permission for your local council. During the pandemic we were ordered to stop, as all the churches closed, and then later that year we finally started on the nave. We supported work by selling some of the pews, many of which are still in the village, and we focused on areas which would make the church viable – the servery and loo.’
A place of peace
On 9th May 2025, when parishioners gathered in St Andrew’s Church to experience the new space created by the re-ordering and removal of pews there were gasps of delight. As people sipped a drink and chatted, one thing became instantly clear: whereas visitors previously used the pews and stood in aisles, today the new flexible area meant that conversation was easier, and people in wheelchairs or with limited mobility were not confined to the back of the church, and were instead able to integrate with everyone else. Curious guests peeked in at the new loo – some wondering exactly how soundproof it was!
Keith Loveless, a ‘non-resident looking in’, was the architect who designed the new space. When he arrived in the village, there was still significant conflict, but he refused to get involved, focusing solely on the design and project. His main challenge was the time it took for plans to be agreed by the various committees in the Diocese.
‘It threw up a lot of issues. I got involved in the history of the church and did a pew report, one on the state of the floor, and a font report. Today, seeing it in use … this is just great. It’s all about people. That’s what means a lot to me. We don’t do these things for the sake of doing it. This building is a vehicle for the people of the parish, and on that journey of change the design should help them use the building more.’
The work is not finished yet. There are plans to reposition the font in the baptistery area.
Lessons around inclusive communication that came from the unwanted and intense media scrutiny were clearly taken to heart in the village, What was once a subscription-only, church-led magazine has been transformed into a true community publication, now funded by the parish council and delivered free to every household in Okeford Fitzpaine.
The Rev Andrew Gubbins, who joined etc Okeford benefice in 2023, led three cheers for the project team: ‘We are thankful for the teamwork, which has come together and overcome some pretty stormy moments along the way! We have rebuilt a place of peace and hospitality and service for the village. The best example we have this year was when the village surprised the church and came forward suggesting a Christmas fundraiser, asking if they could use our church. Churches think they spend their time rolling the ball uphill to get things done, and actually, I think we learned a lesson there.
‘It shows the imagination, the creativity, the energy – it was a remarkable evening.
‘Transformation is possible – and the softly, softly approach works.’
