Bid To Restore Yorkshire Dales ‘Wuthering Heights’ Church
The Yorkshire Dales church that featured in an adaptation of Emily Brontë’s classic novel Wuthering Heights is the subject of a restoration bid. The Telegraph & Argus reports that Lunds Church is in a poor state of repair, and the environmental charity Friends of the Dales have written to the National Park Authority to recommend prompt action.
The Grade II listed chapel stands isolated in a field at the head of Wensleydale. It is thought to have been constructed in the 18th century, but the original building may have existed in some form since the Mediaeval era. Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority have placed the church on their Buildings at Risk register owing to its deteriorating condition.
The small church was closed for official use in 1981, although it was used as part of the location filming for the 2011 movie Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë’s dark and enduring tale of doomed love set among the wild beauty of the Yorkshire Moors.
The critically acclaimed film was directed by Andrea Arnold and starred British actors Kaya Scodelario and James Howson as the obsessive lovers. The original interpretation of the novel was described as ‘raw and gritty’ and won a string of international awards.
The spokesperson from Friends of the Dales said: “This small building is an important part of the cultural heritage of the Dales. The history of its status and its structure over the centuries is an essential aspect of this area at the head of Wensleydale.”
They added: “Coming upon this isolated building, in the middle of a field with just a few old gravestones nearby, conveys a sense of place which is difficult to define.”
The church is in need of extensive renovations to correct long standing water damage, and replace the altar and stone flags on the floor. There are also plans to replace the windows and door.
The application documents state: “It is notable that the church does not contain any elements of typical ecclesiastical architecture and may indeed be initially mistaken for a different use type, such as a historical school; externally, only the graveyard gives away its former religious function.
“The strong agricultural context and low-key character are unusual for a church – even within the context of the rural Yorkshire Dales – and they form an important part of its heritage significance of the listed building.”
The documents add: “It is proposed to reinstate the former electric supply, so that heating can be reintroduced, which is essential for dealing with the moisture movement of the building.”
The original bell from the church is currently housed at the Dales Countryside Museum, but how this came about is unclear, and the move was possibly unauthorised. It is hoped that the bell can be returned to its original position in the bellcote during the renovation process.
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