In the Consistory Court of the Diocese of St Albans
In the parish of St Ippolyts
Church of St Ippolyts Churchyard
NOTICE IS GIVEN that we are applying to the Consistory Court of the diocese
for permission to carry out the following:
(Describe the works or other proposals in the same way as in the faculty petition)
To build a new footpath from the existing footpath to the church to the external
toilet in the churchyard. The Footpath to match the existing footpath.
Copies of the relevant plans and documents may be examined at St Ippolyts
Church Notice Board and on a publicly accessible website at http://www.
stippolytschurch.org.uk
(If changes to a church are proposed, a copy of the petition and of any designs,
plans, photographs and other documents that were submitted with it must be
displayed in the church or at another place where they may be conveniently
inspected by the public. If the petition is submitted through an online system,
those documents must also be publicly available for inspection online.)
Petitioners:
1. MR MICHAEL HOOPER - TREASURER
2. REVD GINNI DEAR - MINISTER
3. MS JANE VEASEY - CHURCHWARDEN
Date 30/07/2023
If you wish to object to any of the works or proposals you should
send a letter or email stating the grounds of your objection to
The Diocesan Registrar at Winckworth Sherwood LLP, Minerva House, 5
Montague Close, London, SE1 9BB or by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
so that your letter reaches the registrar not later than Tuesday 29
August 2023 A letter of objection must include your name and
address and state whether you live in the parish and/or your
name is entered on the church electoral roll of the parish or any
other basis on which you have an interest in the matter.
ST IPPOLYTS CHURCH TOILET FOOTPATH STATEMENT OF NEED
EXISTING SITUATION
The church and parish
The church is within the Diocese of St. Albans, Hitchin archdeaconry and St Ippolyts has its own parish. It is available to all parishioners, members of the congregation and the wider community for baptisms, weddings, funerals and various social and fund-raising activities that are held from time to time.
The church in its environment
Located in the village of St Ippolyts, 1 mile to the south of Hitchin, St. Ippolyts church stands on the crown of the north-south ridge, with the valley of the park sloping down from the churchyard to the valley below and the settlement and school established on the plateau behind to the east.
The church lies at the north edge of the village at the junction of the village road (north-to-south) and the lane leading down the steep valley slope across the stream and foundry to the main Hitchin to Welwyn Road at the west.
The small infants school lies directly across from the north churchyard with the small village green to the east. The main entrance into the churchyard is from the east boundary, opposite the Green, with a path sweeping around to the south, past a stone War Memorial Cross to the South Porch. There is also a north gated entrance to the North Porch which rises in steps from the road below, near the junction and opposite the school. The tarmac path with a resin bonded stone finish rises through a gate directly from the road, up a flight of steps and then with ramps to a sloping area in front of the North Porch. A path then leads east to the Vestry entrance and west around the tower and upslope to the South Porch.
The churchyard to the east and north is set on a high grass bank sloping down to the roads, which diminishing to level along the east boundary at the Lychgate entrance, where hedges contain the churchyard from the road. All is grassed, very-well maintained and with a romantic setting of the churchyard to the west over the sloping valley of the adjoining parkland.
There is no toilet within the church but there is a well maintained and up to date toilet within the churchyard, opposite and slightly south of the Lychgate. Currently there is no footpath to the toilet users having to traverse the mown grass from the existing footpath.
The church is normally open during daylight hours and the church has internal CC TV cameras above the South and North porch entrance doors.
Regular 09:15 services are held every Sunday with a breakfast Service targeting families held on the first Sunday of the Month. In addition, there are two 08:00 Holy Communion (said) services each month plus one Evensong each month.
There is a Parish Hall within the Village but this is not managed by the church and is part of the general community of St Ippolyts. This Parish Hall is approx. 500 yards from the church and is not convenient for church use.
The last church quinquennial inspection was carried out in 2018 and a few minor issues were highlighted, the majority, if not all of which, have been addressed.
PERCEIVED NEED
Worship and Mission
The church is set in a small, dispersed village set along the top plateau behind the ridge and with widely dispersed farmhouses and houses in the agricultural landscape with time required to travel to church. The lower part of the village towards Gosmore has a mix of residential properties. There are plans to expand the community and discussions are underway concerning the construction of a large number of new properties.
Moving forward, there is a desire within the community, PCC and clergy for the church to be able to provide facilities for everyone including those less able
Facilities.
St Ippolyts Church has a toilet which is wheelchair friendly and has the necessary internal facilities to cater for wheel chairs including an external opening door, grab handles and a low sink. Unfortunately, the route to the toilet from the church requires users to cross grassed uneven ground and to make the toilet available to all there is a requirement for a proper footpath access.
