In this section you will find information, advice, support and resources for maintaining and/or making changes to your church buildings and churchyards.
The Diocese of Durham has over 260 churches, chapels and buildings licensed for public worship, from ancient Saxon and Norman churches, to Victorian church buildings, and those of modern construction. Further details on our church buildings can be found here.
Whether your church building is listed grade I, II*, II, or is not listed at all, and whether serving a rural or urban parish, each of our church buildings and their settings provide a unique and sacred space for worship and furthering the mission and ministry of the Diocese.
There’s much to consider in order to keep your church buildings in good repair and to ensure that any proposed changes are planned sensitively, so that they are preserved or adapted appropriately to continue to meet the needs of the parish and the local community.
Parochial Church Councils (PCCs) hold legal responsibility for the care, repair and management of their church buildings. Caring for our church buildings can sometimes feel a weight of responsibility, but it is also a huge privilege, since the work we undertake today will help ensure they remain open and welcome for future generations to come.
In this section you will find information, advice, support and resources for maintaining and/or making changes to your church buildings and churchyards. Click below to link to other pages in this section.
- The DAC (Diocesan Advisory Committee)
- The Faculty System
- The Quinquennial Inspection Scheme
- Quinquennial Inspection Reports
- Grant Funding
- Resources
News
New Faculty Management System
From Monday 13th April all faculty applications will move onto the Faculty Management System which is part of the new Building Management Portal. The current Online Faculty System will close and all information will be transferred to the new system. Please do not add any information to the old system after 5th April as I cannot guarantee that it will be copied across.
The new system will require all users to re-register for access to the system. Details of how to register as well as videos on how to use the system can be found on our The Faculty System page.
I will be running some sessions on the new system and the first of these is on Monday 20th April, 6pm at Cuthbert House. To book a place please click here.
Request for List B Permission
With the introduction of the new system we will be processing all List B requests through the system. Therefore, from 13th April all requests for permission must be submitted this way. Details on how to do this can be found on The Faculty System
DAC Awards
After some months of planning and conversation, we are pleased to say that the DAC are launching their Church Buildings Awards, offering us an opportunity to celebrate the efforts of so many (including yourselves) in caring for, preserving and serving the wonderful church buildings of our Diocese. If your church has completed a significant project in the last ten years (since January 2016) then we would very much like to hear from you. This is not necessarily about the grandest or most expensive projects, though we would love to hear about those too. It could be an imaginative re-ordering that has enhanced your building, the introduction of toilet facilities or social space that has made a difference to your church community or an eco-project that has helped to reduce your carbon emissions and the cost of your energy. Further details and an application form can be found on the Resources page.
Church Building Support
We have been fortunate in receiving some additional funding that has allowed us to employ a Church Building Support Officer (CBSO), Chris Young, who is available to provide support to parishes with projects that they wish to carry out on their Church Buildings. To access the support, parishes need to complete a simple application form which is then considered by the Church Building Panel. Further details can be found on the resources page.
The Diocese is not able to recommend contractors for work on your buildings however a database of contractors used by other churches is held by the Buildings for Mission Secretary and can be shared when required.
A small number of our church buildings are closed and no longer open for worship. If you require any information relating to a closed church please contact Mike Ashmore, Church Buildings Support Officer. mike.ashmore@durham.anglican.org .
Training Opportunities
Throughout the year we will arrange a number of training sessions to help you manage your Church Buildings.
Click here to view a calendar of training sessions that we currently have planned for 2026 to support you as you look after your church buildings.
The Church of England has produced a number of webinars to support churches in their plans to get to Net Zero Carbon by 2030. The webinars give useful information on different heating types, etc. They can be booked and viewed by visiting Webinars on getting to net zero carbon | The Church of England.
Churchwardens Forum
The role of Churchwarden can be quite challenging and if you are not fortunate to be able to work alongside another experienced churchwarden, then you may feel quite isolated and unsure of what needs to be done in different situations. Fortunately, across the diocese we have a lot of churchwardens who have done the role for a long time and have built up lots of experience.
We now have a Churchwardens Forum using Google Groups to allow you to ask questions and share information with other Churchwardens. If you would like to sign up and you can do so by clicking on the following link.
DDChurchwardenForum - Google Groups
When you click on the link the first time it should give you the option to request to join the group. In the reason box please add the name of your church so that your membership can be authorised.
If you have problems joining this way then just email martin.howard@durham.anglican.org with your details.
Each time someone posts a question or shares some information you will get an email to which you can simply reply if you are able to help.
For all resources, please click here.