The Cake - Winter 2021

FEATURE
Plea for Help to Keep
St Dunstan’s Alive
Churchwarden David Riddick appeals for vital help to
saeuar the uture o the atheral in the eal at a time
when many churches are facing closure and possible decay
You may be
aware from the
newspapers that
the Archbishops
of Canterbury and
York are considering reducing the
number of clergy in parishes and
selling unwanted churches.
The Canterbury diocese told us
back in 2019 that it intended
to sell off Cranbrook vicarage
in Waterloo Road and buy a
house in the [proposed] Brick
Kiln development as the
future vicarage. They put in
an application for three fivebedroom
luxury houses which,
fortunately, have been rejected.
Further amended applications are
expected in the years ahead until
they get approval.
This, despite the fact that the
present vicarage land was gifted
in 1947 to the then “vicar and his
successors in perpetuity for the
purpose of building a parsonage”
by Queen Marie of Jugoslavia,
who then owned the nearby Great
Swifts estate.
St Dunstan’s has been the
centre of Cranbrook for many
centuries; for a parish church it is
enormous. The seating capacity
is the largest for a wide area
around making it an ideal venue
for concerts and use by local
schools for a variety of events…
it is therefore an asset for the
community of Cranbrook.
Across the country,
congregations at churches
are getting smaller and older:
St Dunstan’s is no different.
We are supposed to have two
churchwardens but I have been
on my own for over a year
with no volunteers coming
forward. My main role, apart
from supporting the vicar, is to
ensure the fabric of the church,
and Church House, is properly
maintained and carried out. If
anyone in the community feels
moved to assist in preserving
or improving the fabric of St
Dunstan’s I would be delighted
to welcome them as the second
churchwarden. The only
qualification is that they must
have been confirmed.
Maintaining the church is
expensive. The late Phil
Mummery used to organise trips
up the tower which raised about
£2,000 a year for the Friends of St
Dunstan’s, a charity which raises
funds for the church. Is anyone
willing to take this on?
Q&A Session
The vicar, the Rev Ann
Pollington, told The Cake that
she was “extremely concerned”
about the future of many
churches and in particular St
Dunstan’s. She urged people
to attend a question and
answer session in the church
on Wednesday 8 December
7pm to discuss the future of the
Cathedral of the Weald. Among
the speakers will be parish
council chairman Kim Fletcher.
David Riddick said: “All
are welcome and we look
forward to members of the
local community putting
forward their thoughts on
how the facilities offered by St
Dunstan’s can be utilised by local
organisations and groups.”
PHOTOS BY MICHAEL GARLICK
Christmas Tree Festival
St Dunstan’s church will be
the venue for a Christmas tree
festival. To sponsor a tree and
help raise funds not only for
local charities but also the
church contact wendy@larkinsalehouse.co.uk
or phone
07786 707476.
The Cake • Winter 2021 29