Hednesford church is forced to close due to safety concerns
An iconic church built in the 1800s for the growing mining community is set to be closed due to safety fears.
The Church of Saint Saviours in High Mount Street, was once at heart of the a bustling Hednesford community but the congregation has now dwindled to around a dozen people.
The building is now crumbling and the potential costs to repair the problems are beyond what the parish can afford.
Reverend Paul Kelly said: "The building itself is actually crumbling. It has lots of problems structurally.
"We are patching up where we can to make it safe but any work now is only cosmetic. It is not going to repair the building itself.
"Its cost is beyond the ability of the parish to meet.
"We are not funded by the Government or anything like that.
"We have had some flooding problems as well. The building is just at the end of its life."
Rev. Kelly said a public meeting had already been held to inform the congregation about the problems and alternative meeting arrangements for the future were being discussed.
He also stated the church would not be closing any time soon.
He added: "The congregation has gone down to about 10 or 12 now. They are still meeting here but we are looking towards a new beginning.
"The bishop will come and conduct a final service. But it is still early days at the moment.
"It is going to take a while before it is actually closed, a good part of a year I would say.
"There is all sorts of surveying to be done.
"I don't sign up to close churches and it is sad, but it is also reason to celebrate what has taken place here over the years.
"The church was built in the 1800s. It was 125 years old not so long ago.
"It was built to manage the growing population of Hednesford and the mining community.
"It is a mission church not the parish church which is St. Peter's but it was felt another church was needed in the area with all of the housing that was being built.
"It was very much used at the time."
Councillor Alan Pearson, who represents the Hednesford area, also declared the closure of the church would be a loss to the area.
He added: "Churches are such iconic parts of the community, but it has become unsafe and I don't think it would be an attractive building to sell."
