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Re St Giles, Shrewsbury

Lichfield Consistory Court: Coates Ch, May 2008 Font – repositioning – necessity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 August 2008

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Abstract

Type
Case Notes
Copyright
Copyright © Ecclesiastical Law Society 2008

The petitioners sought to move the font from the south door to a position on the north wall adjacent to the Lady Chapel and to remove five pews from the north and south aisles. The reasons given were that the font was a major obstruction by the south door and that the position necessitated the congregation turning around to see what was going on. The chancellor considered Canon F1, paragraph 2, and the decision in Re St Luke the Evangelist, Maidstone [1995] Fam 1, [1995] 1 All ER 321, Ct of Arches, and concluded that neither ‘necessity’ nor a ‘good case for change’ had been made out. The font could be repositioned by the south door and the removal of the pews would allow more space for the congregation to gather round the font. The petition in relation to the font was dismissed. [JG]