A former Catholic church in Bedminster that closed in 2018 for repairs has gone on the market. The freehold for the Holy Cross Church on Dean Lane is listed by commercial property consultants Buston Cook with a guide price available on the application.
At the time of its closure, the main church building wasn't used for general worship due to repairs needed to the roof. A report on the structural integrity of the building from 2018 revealed the need for extensive structural repair to make it safe, with costs in 2022 predicted to be more than £1,750,000.
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The 5,700sq ft church, presbytery and 0.5 acres of surrounding land are being sold as a whole. However, the listing says that offers for buying the church separately from the presbytery will be considered.
Inside the main building is a nave ending in a semi-circular alcove with a balcony and ornate rose window. Before selling, some stained-glass windows will be removed, along with the stone altars, tabernacles, statues, the Baldacchino canopy above the altar, the hanging cross, and the organ and benches.
Limitations of the sale and "all ecclesiastical goods" forbid any new plans for the building entailing "sordid use", which is described as "not contrary to the teaching, ideals and spiritual values of the Catholic Church."
Currently, the church only has planning permission for community use as a place of worship, with the presbytery considered a residential dwelling.
Further conditions of the sale state that alternative planning consent must be successfully obtained on the site by the buyer, with an intended timescale for development in place.
There are restrictions in place to ensure that no new openings or windows are created that would overlook the adjacent Holy Cross Catholic Primary School.
A decree about the churches closure signed by the Right Reverend Declan Lang, Bishop of Clifton, on 22 February 2022 stated: "In recent years, it has become more difficult for the parish community to meet the substantial costs of maintaining the church building whilst at the same time having to face a large increase in the day to-day costs associated with running a parish."
"It is necessary to make new provisions for the spiritual care of the parishioners of Holy Cross."
Reverend Lang said the decision to close the church for good was taken "after much personal prayer and reflection, with some sadness".
Holy Cross Church served a congregation of between 80-100 and still conducted Mass in Latin. In his decree, Reverend Lang said: "Given the size of the parish community and the cost of the works needed, it is evident that the immediate financial demands on the parish community would be significant and unachievable.
"It would be an unrealistic expectation for such a small parish to be burdened with the potential repayment of any loan, potentially placing the parish in debt for decades to come. There are no other sources of income for funding to support the required works from any public or private body.
"It is clear that Holy Cross Parish would be unable to provide for the ongoing maintenance and upkeep and the necessary and urgent repairs to Holy Cross Church. The resources of the Diocese of Clifton are insufficient for preserving and maintaining the church."
He added that a "shortage of priests" factored into consideration of what to do with the building.
Holy Cross Parish was established in 1872, and the present red brick building was consecrated in 1922. In the 1960s, a four-bed detached presbytery was added next door to provide residences for the clergy and is attached to the church by a long corridor.
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