Ancient glory

Standing in a conservation area on the edge of Areley Kings churchyard, the two-storey wooden framed building was restored thanks to the efforts of local people and the Worcestershire Building Preservation Trust, who secured a Heritage Lottery Fund grant to finance the project.

Church Houses, built between the mid-15th and mid-17th centuries, were specially constructed for the celebration of festivals such as Harvest, Christmas, Whitsun and May Day - these feast days were known as the 'Church Ales' as the churchwardens would brew and sell ale to raise money for charity and church repairs.

These celebrations originally took place in the church itself, but by the mid-1400s the relevant authorities had decided that a church should be used solely for worship. Therefore, Church Houses were built by local people and generally had two floors, with the ground floor used for brewing and the upstairs for parties.

However, in years to come the Puritan movement frowned upon the Church Ales, and the use of Church Houses began to decline until, by the end of the 17th century, most were unused and were either converted for alternative purposes or allowed to fall into disrepair.

At Areley Kings, the building went on to be used as a school, a stable, a barn and then a bier house where the coffin carrier was lodged for use at funerals.

In the late 18th century, a fireplace was installed and servants and grooms would wait in the house whilst their employers attended Divine Service in the church. During World War II, Church House was used as a Home Guard post, before becoming a Boy Scout HQ and later a church store.

By the late 1970s the building required restoration, and an initial attempt allowed it to be used for a while as a meeting venue for the church and parish, but it was eventually declared too dangerous and was closed for public use in 1997.

The churchwardens and Rector asked the Worcestershire Building Preservation Trust to undertake the necessary repair and restoration, and return Church House to its original purpose as a meeting place and social venue for the whole community. Architects Stainburn Taylor Michael Reardon were appointed and a local Charitable Trust was formed to assist in the application for funding, but the task was not an easy one - the building is Grade II* listed so approval had to be sought from a variety of bodies.

Building work, which included a new amenity block connected to the original structure by a glass walkway, finally began in February 2005; carried out by Spicers of Worcester. Church House was handed over to the Charitable Trust just over a year later and was formally opened by local MP Dr Richard Taylor on March 10, in a ceremony that followed the ancient tradition of the churchwardens providing ale for their guests.

Such is the quality of the restoration work and the design of the amenity block that Stourport Town Council bestowed a Civic Award upon the project, for its contribution to the environment of the region. But the real success is measured in the amount of local people enjoying the facility, and Church House Areley Kings is now used on a regular basis for many social functions - just like the old days.

Church House is available for hire and can accommodate up to 40 on the ground floor and 60 on the upper floor. Contact 01299 826011 or 01299 829196, or email wheelhouse@dsl.pipex.com.

Church House, Rectory Lane, Areley Kings. DY13 0TB