800-year-old church is lined up for upgrade

An 800-year-old church in Stafford has been given the go-ahead to replace its historic pews with more comfortable seating as part of an upgrade project.

The £100,000 improvement scheme at the Grade I listed church of St Mary will also include the controversial replacement of its cumbersome Victorian wooden entrance door.

Church of England Consistory Court judge Sybil Thomas granted permission despite objections from churchgoers and the Victorian Society, who wanted to keep the wooden door.

But she ordered the retention of the church's children's pews and ruled that the carved ends of the adult pews should also be kept after removal and put on display.

Judge Thomas, who is also Deputy Chancellor of the Diocese of Lichfield, said she had been considering what to do about its large and draughty main door, which takes two people to open fully, since 2008.

As a result, most of the time, access to the church has to be gained through a narrow 'wicket' door cut into the main door, making it difficult for the disabled, or anyone with a child in a pushchair to get in.

The church authorities sought to improve accessibility by replacing the door with two doors featuring glass panels that would make the church more welcoming for its visitors.

But objections were made that the historic door should be retained, with one churchgoer suggesting it should simply be left open when the church is open, with glazed doors installed in the porch to keep in the heat.

The judge ruled that the church had made out a case of "necessity" for the works, and the alternative solution was not appropriate when issues of heating and security were taken into account.

The town centre church last year reported record numbers of visitors. It received 14,000 visitors in 2009, more than 16,000 in 2010 and 21,000 last year.