Shrewsbury Abbey 'at risk' shock

The Reverend Paul Firmin said the 1,000-year-old former monastery was in no danger of falling down just yet.

"The 'at risk' statement has to be qualified," he said. "The roof is sound, the Abbey is substantially watertight and the interior would belie an 'at risk' statement.

"But there are indeed issues. The stonework in some places is nearly 1,000 years old and suffers from spalling (surface flaking).

"The issue is that it's a huge building and for those bits that need to be done you're looking at a six-figure sum to put it right. That is why I suspect we're on the list."

He added: "I don't think the good people of Shropshire need to worry about the Abbey not being here next year." The Church of St Michael in Munslow and the Church of St Peter in Wrockwardine are also on the grade I at risk list.

Seven Shropshire churches have been put on the register, giving official recognition to the fact they are at risk of decay and sorely in need of repair and renovation.

But in most cases plans for improvements are well under way, and being put on the register can only help focus minds and bring in funding.

The Church of St Michael in Munslow, near Craven Arms, is probably the most alarming case at first glance – the 12th century church is Grade I listed, and judged to be at "immediate risk of further rapid deterioration" with "an assortment of significant building defects".

But the Rev John Beesley said things were actually looking good for the ancient church. "Work is happening at the moment," he explained.

"We have a new roof to the church. Work started in June and will hopefully be completed before the end of the year."

The work, to stop the roof falling in, has cost more than £150,000.

"So far as I'm aware all the things we were deemed at risk for have been dealt with," he said. "There will be more work to do, but it will be relatively minor in comparison. We're extremely pleased."

English Heritage rates the situation at the Church of St Peter, at Wrockwardine, as one of "slow decay", with no solution yet agreed.

The Rev David Chantrey said: "It is in acceptable condition at the moment but it won't be in the coming years – we know that there is work that needs to be done. It is, after all, 1,000 years old and we want to bring it up to 21st century standards.

"What we want to do is completely re-roof the church, and install a new heating system. But the church isn't in any danger of falling down or being closed. We would expect to get grant funding that will enable us to complete that project, that is our hope."

To the surprise of many, the third Grade I church on the list is Shrewsbury Abbey itself – not least to its vicar, the Rev Paul Firmin.

Although he welcomed recognition of the importance of conserving the building – a designated Scheduled Monument – he said he did not know that the heritage body was looking at it.

"It was disappointing they did not liaise with us in the process of placing us on the register," he said.

"The first stones were put in place from 1084 to 1087. Although the Abbey has gone through an amazing history, the building you see now is not what it would have looked like then.

"But there are parts of that stonework left, and it wears."

He said Church of England churches were inspected every five years, and repairs to some parts of the stonework are classed as "urgent".

"There are the east end parapets and there is an area where, in the late 19th century, they were going to put transepts on the north and south end but never did," the Rev Firmin explained. "Those bits need remedial work."

He said the English Heritage list rated the Abbey as being in "poor" condition, although he felt that the classification applied to the areas needing work, rather than the whole building.

"The roof of the Abbey is in substantially good shape, and the overall building is substantially sound.

"I'm up in the high office and I'm not wearing a hard hat."

Various works have been carried out at the Abbey since 2009, and there was no immediate threat to the building, he added.

Other churches on the list include two Grade II* listed churches both called the Church of St John the Baptist – one in Kenley and one in Myndtown.

Both have water getting in through the roof.

The Grade II Church of St Mark in Chirbury and Church of St Peter in Oakengates complete the Shropshire list.

At the former, yet more roof work needs to be done, while at the latter sections of masonry have sheared off, the vestry has rotated away from the chancel wall and all of the roofs require relaying.

Anni Holden, speaking for the Diocese of Hereford, said: "It's not necessarily bad news if a church is on the register as it does tend to focus minds locally as well as those of the funders, other than English Heritage."