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St Mary’s Church

Two images showing the original St Mary’s Church on New Road in the late 1980s just prior to demolition.

During the twentieth century, the old Church began to fall into a state of disrepair and the upkeep of the bricks and mortar, together with the problems of heating and leaks, led the congregation to regretfully consider building a modern church in its place.

The last vicar of the old Church, James Bates, who had previous experience in the building business, put forward a plan of selling the old Church and surrounding prime land to new town developers, in return for a new Church to be built by them for the Parish. This was eventually agreed and the last service to be held at the old Church was on 22 October, 1989.

Thanks to Ken Burton for the images.