GRIMSBY'S only listed Catholic church, St Mary's on the Sea, is
under threat of closure along with St Pius X following a review by the
diocese recommending its closure.And the future of the two Catholic primary schools in North East Lincolnshire - St Mary's Catholic Primary Voluntary Academy in Grimsby and St Joseph's Catholic Primary Voluntary Academy is in Cleethorpes - is also in doubt as part of what has been the third review of Catholic churches in the Grimsby area in eight years.
Falling congregation numbers and fewer people being ordained into the priesthood have prompted the latest review.
The Nottingham Roman Catholic Diocese, which covers North East Lincolnshire, is reviewing the area's five places of worship: St Mary's on the Sea on Heneage Road, Grimsby; St John Fisher on Waltham Road, Scartho; Corpus Christi on Grimsby Road, Cleethorpes; St Pius X on Chelmsford Avenue, Grimsby and Our Lady Star of the Sea, Allerton Drive, Immingham.
But it is St Mary's Church that has been recommended for "disposal", followed later by St Pius once a new church has been developed on a single, more suitable site, prompting reaction from the local community and the launch of a campaign by a London-based heritage group to save it.
The Bishop of Nottingham, Rt Rev Patrick McKinney, is visiting the area tonight to deliver his decision on the future of the churches in North East Lincolnshire, at a meeting being held at Corpus Christi at 7pm.
In the latest report, commissioned by the Bishop, the Grade II listed building of St Mary's was described as "the mother church of the Grimsby area and regarded in the community as such" yet it recommends the "disposal, in one way or another" of the church.
It also states that, if the option went ahead, "the new church, on a site that should ideally be in a key regeneration area of Grimsby, would need to be of sufficient size to accommodate a hall, car parking and a primary school. Under this scenario, it may become possible to close both the current primary schools in favour of one new school with hopefully then up to 60 per cent baptised Catholic intake, thus alleviating one of the education trusteeship issues for the diocese."
Disposal, it says, could be bequeathing St Mary's, which was built in 1879-83, to Heritage England, the Church Commissioners or to North East Lincolnshire Council as a heritage and arts centre.
In the last review in 2012, the "most economically viable option" was proposed to close and sell St Mary's Church and St Pius X Church, but the review concluded without any closures.
A 2008 review saw St Peter's in Grimsby's Crosland Road, on the Willows estate, being closed down and put on the market.
East Marsh Ward Councillor Steve Beasant, speaking about St Mary's future, said: "If it does go ahead for closure, I would be devastated. It's one of the nicest buildings in the town. It would soon become vandalised. The interior is stunning. It's part of the community, it's been here for years.
"It's another nail in the coffin for all our historic buildings in the borough of Grimsby. We cannot afford to lose it, it does so much for the local people, particularly the Polish community and Grimsby Roman Catholics; who will sadly miss these buildings."
Father John Martin said: "I'm hopeful that the Bishop will have listened to the people, obviously he has a pastoral duty to us the people and as a steward of the church. I hope he will have consulted and met with the various people and heard the various people's responses both inside the Catholic community and outside.
"The Bishop will make the right decision for the good of all. The Bishop and his advisors are looking after five places of worship for the Catholic community. He's been looking to see what is the best way forward to strengthen the Catholic community. You've got five places and five smaller congregations - the Bishop will be looking at what is surplus in the community. It's a great sadness.
"The Bishop's desire is to strengthen the Catholic community, where it's going to be most needed."
Meanwhile, Save Britain's Heritage, which has been campaigning for historic buildings since its formation in 1975, has stepped in to campaign for St Mary's.
Marcus Binney, executive president of Save Britain's Heritage, said: "St Mary's is an important historic church in Grimsby that tells the story of the town. Its fine interior is brimming with original fittings and architectural details that should be treasured. It has already secured a large grant for repairs that would be lost if the building closed or stopped being a church. Closure of such a fine building should be a last resort - and nobody's first choice. We implore the Bishop to do the right thing in Grimsby and save St Mary's."
Director Henrietta Billings said: "The report, entitled 'Review of the Needs of the Roman Catholic Church in North East Lincolnshire' appears to pay little regard to the historical or architectural importance of the church and also discusses the possibility of de-listing.
"St Mary's was built in 1879-83 in a gothic revival style to the designs of MC and C Hadfield of Sheffield. It lies in a Conservation Area and was listed for its national architectural, artistic and historical significance in 1999. The church is full of architectural and artistic features – like the marble altar designed by Pugin and Pugin, impressive stained glass windows, and a rich scheme of decoration for the sanctuary, painted in 1908.
"The church has also recently been in receipt of a grant offer of £82,000 from the Listed Places of Worship Fund for roof repairs which would constitute a large portion of the estimated repair costs. If the church closed, the grant would no longer be available – but the repair work would still be required while a new use was found.
"In response to the proposal for closure the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nottingham commissioned its own expert report by the Architectural History Practice which highlights the national significance of St Mary's. It states, "St Mary on the Sea is a building of considerable architectural, historical, artistic and communal significance....
"A substantial grant has been offered for its repair, which would help ensure its continued use as a place of worship, as well as serving as a catalyst for the regeneration of the Conservation Area. This is a substantial public investment and vote of confidence in the future of the building as a place of worship…central to any discussion on the future allocation of resources in Grimsby should be a presumption that St Mary's repaired and revived, will continue in its historic mission."
Save Britain's Heritage urges people to contact the Bishop of Nottingham Rt Rev Patrick Joseph McKinney at: bishop@nrcdt.org.uk or Bishop's House, 27 Cavendish Road East, The Park, Nottingham NG7 1BB