'Ridiculously angry' - Historic Yorkshire church to be sold after worshippers donated 'thousands' for repairs

Heywood United Reform Church in Northowram was built between 1836 and 1837, but its story stretches back to 1650 when puritan minister Oliver Heywood began preaching at nearby Coley Chapel.

As local historian Mike Turner, 82, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the restoration of Charles II, and a new law re-establishing the Church of England, saw non-conformist Heywood excommunicated and thrown out of his rented home.

Heywood continued to preach illegally as a dissenter and was eventually granted an indulgence by the King in 1672, allowing him ‘teach’ – though he was later imprisoned in York Castle for hosting religious gatherings at his Northowram home.

After a change in law, the first purpose-built chapel was erected in 1688 and Heywood continued to shape the community by building a school and alms-houses before his death in 1702.

Mr Turner now lives at Heywood’s home, which is marked by a blue plaque.

One artefact to survive more than 300-years and can be found to the right of the nave, is a sloped and beautifully varnished wooden pulpit, which Heywood would store under his stairs when he was not using it to preach from his home (and sometimes window).

As well as hosting worship, the 19th century building is used by 11 groups, including the Northowram Historical Society, Rainbows and Brownies, and a yoga class led by Helen Leyland – who is leading the Save The Heywood campaign.

After the closure was announced last month, Ms Leyland said: “There was a massive outcry from the people who use it. The congregation has been dwindling in the past few years. The decision was made to close it because there’s no governance in place.

“We hope for someone to buy the building, and then, as a Community Interest Company, to lease it.”

There are also concerns over the future of the graveyard, which worshippers say contains a relative of Bradford-born singer Kiki Dee, 79 – known for her 1976 duet ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ with Elton John.

Ms Leyland said the CIC has ideas for beer festivals, gin and wine tasting, and Christmas fairs to raise funds for the lease.

Reverand Jean Hoggard, who is nearly 90, was baptised at the church and can still remember attending a funeral there with her grandmother as a child in 1939.

Having once led the congregation and seen attendance drop-off, she said: “If it was to close and it comes to a new dimension… that would be wonderful. And I am very excited about that.”

But closure has also sparked frustration among some worshippers who have helped pay for improvements to the building.

A member of the congregation claimed parishioners had contributed thousands of pounds in recent years towards repairs and upgrades to the roof and kitchen.

“The congregation in the last few years have put so much money into the church,” they said, adding that worshippers were “ridiculously angry” and “really surprised” by the “very sad” decision.

It is understood the URC Yorkshire Synod has also made substantial investments in the church.

The Synod was asked to comment on these specific concerns but did not respond.

Yorkshire-based Chartered Surveyors Walker Singleton are currently valuing the building.

If the keys are handed back on December 6 as planned, Ms Heywood said groups may try to move operations to the Northowram Community Centre at St Matthew’s Church – though there are concerns the centre will become oversubscribed following the sudden closure of Bailiff Bridge Community Centre last month.

Calderdale Green Party leader Martin Hey said: “People don’t want to lose it. They don’t want to lose it for the community.

“There’s a lot of work to do, but if [the campaign] comes up with a viability proposition, we expect URC to engage with that properly.

“If we just let this happen, and it’s happened already in Calderdale, we will just end up with no community buildings left in the community.”

Coun Hey pointed to flat conversions at the Norwood Green Congregation Church, and the ongoing sale of the Shelf village hall which has been empty for five years since a failed community asset transfer.

A spokesperson for the URC Yorkshire Synod said: “With a very small number of URC members, the congregation is no longer able to fulfil its legal requirements under charity law and the regulations of the United Reformed Church.”

The Revd Chris Wood, who has supported the congregation for many years, said: “The worshipping community at Heywood has reached this conclusion with a heavy heart but recognises that it has reached the end of a season and needs to move on with realism and in faith.”