Call for action after church floods three times
The vicar of a Grade I listed church, which has flooded three times in a year, says the local authority is not taking action to protect it.
St John the Baptist at Edlingham, near Alnwick, Northumberland, is at the bottom of a hill, and during heavy rainfall water coming down the road diverts through the graveyard and into the building.
Priest-in-charge, the Reverend Rich Townend, said: “There is an relatively easy solution but I just can’t get anyone to take the matter seriously.”
Northumberland County Council, which is responsible for roads, said it had “taken significant measures” which included clearing ditches and repairing damaged pipes.
The flooding leaves muddy deposits throughout the church [Rich Townend]
The church, which sits alongside a castle and attracts up to 20,000 visitors a year, first flooded before Christmas 2023, which saw its carol concert cancelled.
It flooded again in April and in October.
“With a changing climate, we’re getting more and more heavy rain”, Mr Townend said.
“Northumberland County Council did build a pipe which went underneath the road, which was supposed to channel the water away from the church and into a field.
“But it’s just not big enough to deal with the volumes of water.”
During heavy rainfall, water runs through the graveyard and into the church [Rich Townend]
One option would be to build floodgates but changes to listed buildings require extensive consultation.
“I think we’d struggle to get that approved,” Mr Townend said.
“It’s so frustrating because it is such a beautiful place and one of the oldest churches in Northumberland.
“I quite often wake up in the night and hear the rain and worry about what’s happening at Edlingham.”
In a statement, the Conservative-led council said it was “committed to finding the most effective long-term solutions”.
It added: “While we acknowledge that installing a larger culvert beneath the road could further reduce the risk of flooding, such a project would be substantial and would require careful evaluation, funding identification, and prioritisation amidst numerous existing infrastructure needs.”
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