The oldest St George's church in the UK at Church Gresley has been forced to shut its doors for the first time in more than 80 years after the building was deemed too dangerous.

St George and St Mary's Church, in Church Street, Church Gresley, needs up to £500,000 to reopen due to falling masonry and a leaking roof - and it could be years before it re-opens.

St George and St Mary's church in Church Gresley has had to be closed due to structural damage.
St George and St Mary's church in Church Gresley has had to be closed due to structural damage.

Meanwhile, its 100-plus parishioners, whose numbers are increasing despite the problems surrounding the church, are now worshipping at the Pingle Academy, in Coronation Street, Swadlincote, until the church, which dates back to 1135, can reopen.

Global warming, weather and passing HGVs rumbling down the road have been blamed by church members for the building's deteriorating condition.

It has led to insurers branding it a risk to public health and safety, with worshippers claiming 50 years' of damage has been done in the last 15 years.

While no formal fund-raising campaign has yet been set up, there have been previous attempts to apply for grants.

But the severity of the damage has become apparent in recent months and a quick repair job is no longer considered feasible.

St George and St Mary's church in Church Gresley has had to be closed due to structural damage.
St George and St Mary's church in Church Gresley has had to be closed due to structural damage.

Members of the church, which last closed in 1934 due to its then dangerous state, have launched a fund-raising drive and are due to meet with English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery in the new year to discuss larger grant applications.

Church member Louise Baker, who married at St George and St Mary's. said: "Our insurance company took structural reports into consideration, and deemed the risk to health and safety far greater than the need to keep the church open.

"On their advice the bishop instructed the vicar to close the building, as he is the only one who can actually shut a church. He had no choice, as we had to think about the safety of those using the building.

"The major issues include a leaky roof and loose masonry, which is prone to falling down - and has done in recent months. The church is suffering from weathering, particularly in the colder weather; the brickwork absorbs water, and expands as it freezes. That has caused crumbling and the falling masonry. It is approximated that as much as a third of the church’s stonework needs attention/replacing.

"Meanwhile, both parts of the roof need replacing, and we would benefit from having the interior plaster completely redone. Monuments are slowly coming away from the walls, and so need to be repaired and reinforced."

St George and St Mary's church in Church Gresley has had to be closed due to structural damage.
St George and St Mary's church in Church Gresley has had to be closed due to structural damage.

Asked why action was being taken now, Mrs Baker, 32, said: "It is incredibly expensive to maintain listed buildings, and the congregation just doesn’t have the funds to continue to maintain a church that is falling down around us.

"Weathering and the effects of global warming haven’t helped the aged stonework, either. Continuing HGV activity carrying on beside, and on the road in front of the church, has done extensive damage to the church.

"It is estimated that some 50 years' of damage has occurred in just 15 years, which demonstrates why this seems to have come out of the blue. The deterioration has been more rapid than we could have imagined."

The church could qualify for up to £200,000 from an initial grant from The Heritage Lottery Fund. Worshippers will then launch a public fund-raising campaign in a bid to raise the rest of the cash.

Mrs Baker added: "There's plenty going on behind the scenes, though, including the establishment of a taskforce."

The church is now closed for the foreseeable future; and cannot be used again until work is completed and the building made safe. This could be several years, but a structural report due in January from the architects is expected to provide more information.

St George and St Mary's church in Church Gresley has had to be closed due to structural damage.
St George and St Mary's church in Church Gresley has had to be closed due to structural damage.

Mrs Baker said: "It’s incredibly emotional for everyone, as so many of us have memories that centre around the church; my husband Adam and I got married there, and our son Toby was baptised there. We have attended services, events, funerals, weddings, and baptisms and have seen our friends among the congregation go through the very best and very worst of times.

"We have always been a congregation that supports one another and the church has been witness to so much personal history. We have changed as people but the church has never lost its heart.

"Adam and I became members in 2010 and the church building has always been a big part of our lives.

"That said, the church is as much about the people as it is the building, so we shall continue to grow and support one another.

"It is just very sad that it has come to this - the church has been derelict before, and has survived this long. We have no doubt it will be welcoming us back in time.

"We are still a functioning, and growing church. We are coming together in the face of a huge project, and while the building isn’t up to the task, our church family certainly is."

About St George and St Mary’s

The church’s name was actually a mistake; it was only supposed to be dedicated to St George, but a scribe added the Virgin Mary’s name too. It is the oldest St George’s Church in the UK.

There are two services on a Sunday, which include a morning communion and worship, and an evening service. We also host a messy church craft service one Saturday each month, and various groups such as women’s and men’s worship, and a drop-in playgroup.