Sir, Your leader (Aug 9) draws attention to the burden carried by the Church of England being responsible for 45 per cent of the Grade 1 listed buildings in England. Please spare a thought, however, for the other denominations that are not similarly endowed.
Having spent 20 years with responsibility for some 1,460 churches owned by the disendowed Church in Wales (more than 1,100 of which are listed), I have seen the decline in financial support from the state, via English Heritage’s counterpart Cadw. Expenditure on church repairs has been rising, largely effected by volunteers in each parish — and this at a time when individual parishes have tried to pursue their main purpose, of mission objectives, under the guidance of fewer stipendiary ordained staff.
Focusing on the cathedral as the mother church in the diocese is misleading. The Church in Wales has six. The main threat is to the hundreds of listed parish churches which the local congregations maintain, along with the churchyard, in the context of increasing health and safety legislation. The Heritage Lottery Fund has been a major help to many but its resources have declined and are being spread more widely.
If we value our heritage we must ensure adequate support for the heroic efforts of so many volunteers.
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CHRIS SAMUEL
Cardiff