Church Property

This page provides information about the acquisition and disposal of church and parsonage sites under the New Parishes Measure 1943, the care and maintenance of churchyards, the administration of our chancel liabilities and some useful links in connection with ecclesiastical land dealings and fundraising activities for church repairs.

Acquisition and Disposal of Church and Parsonage Sites under the New Parishes Measure 1943

Those parts of the New Parishes Measure dealing with the creation of new ecclesiastical districts have been repealed and superseded by provisions in the Pastoral Measure 1983 but the Measure is still commonly used in the acquistion of church property and the disposal of unconsecrated church property when it is no longer needed for its original purpose. Consecrated land has normally to be dealt with under section 30 of the Pastoral Measure.

The notes and application forms for acquiring or disposing of such unconsecrated property may be downloaded as separate WORD documents by clicking on the relevant link below:

Acquisitions of Churches, Church Sites, Churchyards and Burial Grounds

Disposal of sites acquired by the Commissioners for Church, Churchyard or Burial Ground purposes, but no longer required

Application for the Commissioners' consent to the acquisition of land or property for parsonage purposes

Application for the Commissioners' consent to the disposal of parsonage or grant of glebe land

Dealings with Ecclesiastical Land/Sample Forms of Transfer

Click here for the answers to some Frequently Asked Questions about church property dealings produced by our Legal Office, including sample forms of transfer under the New Parishes Measure.

Care and Maintenance of Churchyards

We prepared the following guide in 1993 in response to the difficulties many parishes were experiencing in making adequate provision for the churchyards in their care.

Responsible Care for Churchyards

Chancel Liabilities

The Commissioners have inherited a liability for the repair and maintenance of a number of chancels throughout the country and the Pastoral Division is responsible for administering this liability.

Chancel liability is a civil rather than an ecclesiastical matter and (other than where we are liable) we are unable to identify persons or property owners who might have a liability for the maintenance of a particular church chancel. For further information about chancel liabilities see Legal Records Information Leaflet No. 33.

Fundraising

Those engaged in fundraising activities for church repairs may find the following links helpful:

The Church of England's Church Care website

English Heritage Grants

Historic Churches Preservation Trust

Pastoral Division
Church House, Great Smith Street
LONDON
SW1P 3AZ

Telephone: 020 7898 1000
Fax: 020 7898 1873
Email: pastoral@c-of-e.org.uk.

© The Church Commissioners for England 2005 (Last updated 3/1/2006)