Over 400 churches were closed within a decade. A senior clergyman said it was a threat to the parishes.
Analyse of Church of England records revealed that 940 of these churches were closed from 1987 to 2019. These figures reveal that 423 of the churches closed between 1987 and 2019.
The Daily Telegraph reports that there is an average of almost 6 percent fewer churches in each of the 42 Church dioceses.
There are still approximately 15,490 people left.
Andrew Nunn, the Dean of Southwark Cathedral said the sheer number of church closures was shocking.
Analyse of Church of England records revealed 940 churches that were closed in the period 1987 to 2019. These figures reveal that 423 of the churches closed between 1987 and 2019. (stock image by St Mary Magdelene Church Sandringham Estate).
He said, “I agree with many of the concerns that policies leading to closing of churches could also lead to more changes in the parish system.”
The dioceses of Durham and Manchester had the greatest number of closures – with 15 per cent fewer churches than in 1987.
A church can be defined by the CofE as “licensed as an area of worship” and may include ex-mission halls.
The trend has been reversed by Canterbury, which saw a 10.8% rise in church attendance.
Andrew Nunn, the Dean of Southwark Cathedral said that the number of church closures is’shocking. Pictured: Southwark Cathedral (stock photo)