A task force set up to consider the future of hundreds of Norfolk and Waveney's historic churches has made a series of recommendations to help keep them open.

A year-long investigation into options for the future of churches, amid dwindling congregations and rising maintenance costs, has presented its conclusions to the Bishop of Norwich.

The Church Buildings Commission report for the Diocese of Norwich has looked at what lifelines could be thrown to historic churches to keep them open - and warned of the "fragility" of funding to protect them.

Eastern Daily Press: The commission explored the future of Norfolk and Waveney's churchesThe commission explored the future of Norfolk and Waveney's churches (Image: Simon Finlay)

The Diocese of Norwich contains almost 650 church buildings across Norfolk and Waveney - but, with 95pc of them nationally listed, they can be costly to maintain.

Many, dating back to medieval times, are in areas where fewer than 150 people live. Fifty are located in places with populations of 50 or less.

Dwindling congregations

The report found the average usual Sunday congregation for a church in the Diocese of Norwich was 23 people.

And it said that figure was skewed because a small number of churches had relatively large congregations.

It found 267 churches in the diocese had congregations of fewer than a dozen people.

Eastern Daily Press: Congregations have dwindled in churchesCongregations have dwindled in churches (Image: Archant)

The responsibility for maintaining a church building falls to the parish congregation through their Parochial Church Council, so if few people are involved with a church, it makes that task difficult.

Among the recommendations of the commission, led by former Norwich City Council chief executive Laura McGillivray, are for extra officers to be recruited by the diocese to help protect at-risk churches.

Eastern Daily Press: Laura McGillivrayLaura McGillivray (Image: UEA)

The report says an increased number of church building support officers would help ensure parishes get support and advice on building maintenance, adaptions, fundraising and grant applications.

Another recommendation is for money to be pumped into expanding the scope and remit of the Norwich Diocesan Churches Trust, which could step in to safeguard ones vulnerable to closure.

Need to get communities involved

The commission also recommends the creation of an independent Norfolk and Waveney Churches Culture and Heritage Partnership to get churches used by wider communities.

The report states: "The decline in the use of church buildings for worship puts their future sustainability at risk.

"These buildings are an essential part of Norfolk and Waveney’s history, they 
enrich all our lives and are valuable community assets.

"There is a clear need to create the circumstances in which they can thrive and can be seen as a vital part of everyone’s heritage; to achieve this we must build greater community involvement and engagement.

"There has to be a change in public understanding. We need to break down the 
barriers between the public and these church buildings.

"Churches should be seen as an integral part of our collective history rather than the exclusive responsibility of the Church of England."

READ MORE: Norwich's 'hidden' church added to at risk list

It suggests that the potential to lease part of church buildings for use as galleries, workshops or artists' studios should be considered.

The report also calls on the government to do more to make grants available amid "fragile" funding support for church buildings which form part of the country's national heritage.

READ MORE: Wanted: Army of volunteers to hunt for bats in Norfolk's churches

Closure a 'last resort'

The report does not propose any closures of specific churches and stresses "formal redundancy" should only be considered as a last resort, after other options are explored.

Eastern Daily Press: The Rt Revd Graham Usher, the Bishop of NorwichThe Rt Revd Graham Usher, the Bishop of Norwich (Image: Archant)

Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Revd Graham Usher, has now received the report and along with the Bishop’s Council of Trustees, will consider its recommendations.

The Commission team has suggested a working group is formed with the purpose of taking forward the recommendations that are accepted.

Bishop Graham said: "Our churches are also historic gems; treasure troves of community memory; storytelling places and architectural delights with their knapped flint, angel roofs and round towers.

"Yet in a diocese with so many church buildings, and small populations in many rural places, their future sustainability is a concern.

Eastern Daily Press: Laura McGilivray hands over a copy of the report to the Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Revd Graham UsherLaura McGilivray hands over a copy of the report to the Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Revd Graham Usher (Image: Diocese of Norwich)

"I am grateful for the work of the commission that has looked into this and made a number of recommendations."