Historic Farfield Meeting House faces ‘uncertain future’
‘Our small group – Friends of Farfield – may have to take over responsibility for the building.'
A Yorkshire Friend has highlighted the ‘uncertain future’ facing the historic Farfield Meeting House and other old Quaker buildings.
Chris Skidmore, from Skipton Meeting, told the Friend that the charity Historic Chapels Trust (HCT), which owns Farfield, is slowly moving towards closing down and divesting itself of its properties. This also affects another twenty churches and chapels, including another Meeting house, Coanwood, in the Tyne Valley.
Chris Skidmore said: ‘Unfortunately Farfield and other old Meeting houses are constantly under threat. In our case it is highly likely that, within the next three years or so, Historic Chapels Trust, our owners, despite considerable support from national funds to ameliorate the transition, will be unable to continue to trade and that disposal of the properties will have to happen.’
He added: ‘Our small group – Friends of Farfield – may have to take over responsibility for the building. We were immensely heartened by the support which Friends and Meetings gave when we needed to put the buildings in good order for the future a few years ago. We hope that we can count on further support from Friends as we negotiate our way forward.’
HCT said, in an email seen by the Friend, that ‘significant funding has been offered, by the National Heritage Memorial Fund and Historic England, to ensure that disposal of the properties – which will have to happen – can be achieved in the best, most secure and long-term sustainable way’.
One Quaker, Pete Ramshaw, wrote about his experiences on Christmas Day at Farfield Meeting House (27 January), which was built in 1689. Chris Skidmore said the article echoed many comments that walkers on the Dales Way leave in the visitors book. ‘Although Quakers do not see their buildings as sacred, it is a common experience for profound feelings to be evoked by places “where prayer has been valid” (TS Eliot). Perhaps we should acknowledge that our old buildings are gifts which we can offer others as stations on their spiritual journeys. This is another way of looking at our Quaker heritage.’
The Meeting house was previously ‘saved’ in 1956 when four Quakers – including the well-known author Elfrida Vipont Foulds – bought it for £220 to prevent it being turned into residential accommodation.
Friends can email Chris Skidmore at chrisskidmore@waitrose.com.
