St Peter church in Wiggenhall St Peter set to be deconsecrated almost a century after it fell into ruin

A church in West Norfolk could be deconsecrated nearly a century after it fell into ruin.

Standing next to the banks of the River Great Ouse, the parish church of St Peter in Wiggenhall St Peter has become a shell of its former self.

Of the 100 ruined churches in the county, it remains one of the most striking and atmospheric, with its 13th century tower remaining relatively intact although the roof has disappeared.

Having not been used for worship since the 1930s, Right Reverend Dagmar, the Bishop of Huntingdon – part of the Diocese of Ely – is now seeking to declare it closed.

Its downfall is part of the fascinating story of how the low-lying geography of the Fens has been changed through human intervention in a bid to control the flow of water and protect homes from flooding.

The landscape of West Norfolk has been frequently transformed ever since Dutch engineers arrived in the 17th century and used their expertise to control water and drain marshland.

One man in particular, Cornelius Vermuyden, had a particular influence on the geography through his idea of constructing ‘washes’ – areas used to collect floodwater.

The legacy of his ideas led to the creation of a relief channel to the east of the river.

This had the effect of sandwiching the church between two waterways, aside from a small collection of homes south to the south.

Wiggenhall St Peter is a hamlet that forms part of the wider St Germans parish, which also includes the larger hamlet of Wiggenhall St Mary the Virgin.

People living in these settlements were well-served by having four other medieval churches within the hamlets, which led to numbers dwindling for St Peter.

Records from the 1851 Census of Religious Worship show that the number of worshippers at the church had fallen to just a handful of people.

Meanwhile, the surrounding churches had more than 400 regular attendees.

The vicar at the time, Richard Thomas Powell, said he could not give an average attendance number for St Peter, stating that the communities on the other side of the river were “very populous” compared to Wiggenhall St Peter.

By the early 20th century, worshippers had disappeared and it became a ruin and the roof was removed.

According to the Bishop of Huntingdon’s submission to the Church Commissioners’ Office, there were efforts by the parish to convert the tower into a lettable property but this was not successful.

It is now seeking to have it closed – a formality that will stop it from being able to be used for worship.

While it may no longer attract a congregation it remains a popular draw for walkers, with its unique setting, below the level of the riverside footpath.

It is a picturesque site, particularly in the final hours of daylight when the ruin is basked in golden hues by the gradually setting sun cast across the low-lying landscape.

While the roof has gone, it remains in good condition with many original features still present.

Members of the public have the opportunity to object or support it being closed by visiting churchofengland.org.

If the church is deconsecrated, it will remain within the financial care of the Diocese of Ely.