THE CHURCH RANGER SCHEME

In April 2007 Norwich  HEART and the Churches Conservation Trust recruited Owen Thompson in the role of Summer Churches Ranger.  Since this time he has been opening four of the City Churches on a rotational basis (see Visits page for details) in a project designed to counter the widespread perception that the churches are locked and cannot be visited.

Owen is currently a lecturer teaching at City College and he has a background in researching medieval history and experience of researching churches. As can be seen from the following article Owen is clearly enjoying his role …………

FROM THE CHURCH RANGER’S VIEW

I started the job of church ranger at the beginning of April and I consider the scheme a success.

At some of the churches I have only a few visitors, but that doesn’t matter. The point is that the churches are open for those who want to visit them, and the fact that the opening times are publicised means that anyone really interested knows when they can come. For instance, at St Laurence I had one elderly gentleman who brought his granddaughter with him to show her where he and her grandmother had been married – and he even had the marriage certificate and the wedding photos with him. Another couple came all the way from Essex especially as they are researching the history of the Gros family and had transcribed a will of 1488 in which John Gros asked to be buried in “St Laurence in Norwich in the South Aisle before Our Lady and the Holy Rood”.

Of course many people do not plan a visit, but simply pop in because they see the “Church Open” sign. I suppose most visitors tend to be middle-aged, but some young people show an interest too. Many are tourists, either from anywhere in Britain, or from Australia, Canada or Japan. It is surprising how many local people come in just to have a quick look: one man who came into St Andrew’s recently told me he had been walking past for 65 years but had never seen inside it!

Undoubtedly the most popular is St Peter Hungate. On a Thursday afternoon I usually have an almost non-stop flow of visitors; this is probably because of its location at the top of Elm Hill and its being en route for the cathedral. Of course many local people remember it as the museum of church art and brass rubbing. The beautiful garden behind the church is remarked on by many of the visitors.

It is still early days, but judging by the way things are going I would say that running this trial scheme of opening up four more of Norwich’s churches from April to October will prove to have been a success and hopefully will lead on to a bigger and better scheme in the future.

Owen Thompson