Something for you to ponder

[Hurricane Puffrose]

I live in a small village, and we have a small methodist church that is unused, its in a bad state of repair and a local village group are trying to buy it and renovate it.

The methodist church themselves sold it to a multinational company to be demolished, and had our group evicted, but due to the bad press generated by them all, the multinational backed out the sale and its now vacant again.

The church itself was paid for by the locals of the village all buying one brick and donating it to the build, and the land it sits in was bequeathed to the village by a generous man named taylor.

Our charity is trying to purchase the church again, my question is, can it actually be sold if the bricks are owned by the locals, and can it be sold if the land it sits in is owned by the village itself?

[CleverClogs]

Re: Something for you to ponder

I live in a small village, and we have a small methodist church that is unused, its in a bad state of repair and a local village group are trying to buy it and renovate it.

The methodist church themselves sold it to a multinational company to be demolished, and had our group evicted, but due to the bad press generated by them all, the multinational backed out the sale and its now vacant again.

The church itself was paid for by the locals of the village all buying one brick and donating it to the build, and the land it sits in was bequeathed to the village by a generous man named taylor.

Our charity is trying to purchase the church again, my question is, can it actually be sold if the bricks are owned by the locals, and can it be sold if the land it sits in is owned by the village itself?

When was the land bequeathed to the village?

Had the church been built before the land was bequeathed?

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: Something for you to ponder

not sure of the date CC, but will get mum to ask her friend whos lived here all her life, as far as im aware the church was built after the land was bequeathed, but again, ive only lived here for 10years.

Will look in to it for you

I know that it is the land that the local pub (its been closed 4 years and unsold) health centre (unused) and the church are built on was bequeathed to the village itself, by a Mr Taylor as the road was at one time called Taylor Row.

[CleverClogs]

Re: Something for you to ponder

I was wondering if the Places of Worship Sites Act 1873 - link - might apply.

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: Something for you to ponder

oooh looking it up

why you feeling crappy hun?

[Bill-K]

Re: Something for you to ponder

The church itself was paid for by the locals of the village all buying one brick and donating it to the build, and the land it sits in was bequeathed to the village by a generous man named taylor.

Our charity is trying to purchase the church again, my question is, can it actually be sold if the bricks are owned by the locals, and can it be sold if the land it sits in is owned by the village itself?

CC is - as per usual - well ahead of the game here, methinks. But I just need to say - if the church was built with 'donated' bricks, then ownership of those bricks was transferred - by donation - to the Church, surely ? Similarly, the bequest by the good Mr Taylor conferred legal ownership upon the Church ?

It thus seems to me that the Church has full ownership of both the land, and the structure built thereon. If there is a battle to be fought here, it seems it must be fought on a different level.

Morality seems appropriate. Publicity seems useful.

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: Something for you to ponder

Mr Taylor didnt bequeath the land to the Church, he left it to "the people of the village of Thurnscoe".

as far as im aware, the church came later, but Mum will have to confirm this with her friend, im going to speak with Sandra who runs the charity and suggest she joins this forum too, shes got all the relevant paperwork!

[labman]

Re: Something for you to ponder

So, playing Devil's Advocate, if this is the same land on which the village pub is built (not literally CC LOL!) then surely that should not be up for sale either, yet you happily mention the two alongside each other.

My understanding of these things is that usually the land is that the land is left is left 'in trust' to the villagers. I imagine that there might exist somewhere a trust deed as to the conditions by which the land was bequeathed.

If I am correct, which I may not be, it would be that Trust Deed to which one needed to refer unless legal process has already set precedent by interpreting it.

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: Something for you to ponder

yeh, the pub to my mind shouldnt be being sold either, but that was built, as far as im aware c1950, the church was built c1910 and was at one time used as a historical socitey, a childrens day centre, a place that the remanining methodists of Thurnscoe met up and a charity shop.

I was under the impression that a charity cannot be evicted from its premises, and they made an offer to purchase it which was dismissed out of hand by the Church in favour of a supermarket Thurnscoe didnt want!! Infact, we have Asda and they were promised there would be no other major name in the village!

Seeing Mum today to get the remnants of the details, i think its the whole issue that the Church in particular belongs to the village, its locals paid for it, and built it, and we are being dismissed as though our services are no longer required

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: Something for you to ponder

ok an update, as far as any living person can remember, the land was bequeathed to the people of thurnscoe and has been built on since, the reason that they arent as interested in the Thurnscoe Hotel (the pub) is that a lot of people can remember their mums and dads being married there, peoples funerals, christenings etc.

Part of the land is a kiddies playground which im told cannot be built on, but no one seems to know why!

Does anyone know where we can have a look at this trust deed, and if the land is the people of thurnscoe can we have a say in whats put up and whats demolished?

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: Something for you to ponder

:bump:

Bumping for Mr R to print too