Servery and Accessible WC, St Mary Magdalene, Bishop MiddlehamThe PCC of St Mary Magdalene, Bishop Middleham

This project of a new servery and accessible wc, provided much needed community facilities enabling the medieval Grade II*church to deliver additional ecclesiastical and secular activities in a reordered west end.
We took the box pews out of the west end, relocated and repaired the cracked medieval Frosterley marble font to a more prominent position as you enter. This freed up the west end space to provide a meeting area and children’s play space.

We introduced a new servery to provide tea, coffees and light lunches. Alongside is an accessible wc. We also converted a small open ceilinged vestry into an enclosed room and this provides a small intimate place for worship or meetings.

Adjustments were made to the heating and the church now has a well lit and better heated amenity area for both its growing congregation and wider community. The creation of a mixed use space with a loo and a cup of tea now improves the welcome that the church can offer.

The new space has already been used for the educational and play activities of the children and their parents at Messy Church. It has created a venue for music, recitals, lectures, meetings, food fairs, lunch club, harvest festival, bring and buy, even dancing! The people of St Michael’s church not only have new facilities to increase their mission but also provide up to date and flexible facilities for the local and wider community.