A quiet English village holds a secret – a church leaning further than the famed Tower of Pisa. St James’s Church in Dry Doddington isn’t just old; it’s dramatically, visibly tilting, a testament to centuries of settling and a growing need for urgent repair.
Church warden Richard Loynes describes the situation with a wry acceptance. The church isn’t merely in need of funds, it’s battling a seriously wonky floor, a problem shared by many historic churches, but arguably worse in this case. The goal is ambitious: over £100,000 to stabilize the structure and bring it back from the brink.
The tilt, a staggering 5.1 degrees, began to manifest in the late 1800s, slowly but surely altering the church’s posture. Imagine a building subtly, relentlessly shifting, a silent slide through time that now threatens its very existence.
St James’s wasn’t always a grand parish church. It began as a humble chapel of ease in the 12th century, built for the elderly villagers of Dry Doddington who found the journey to the neighboring parish of Westborough too arduous. It was a place of quiet solace, designed for those whose steps were slowing.
The 14th-century tower, now the most visibly affected part of the structure, stands as a proud, yet precarious, landmark. Its slow descent has become a defining characteristic of the church, a visible symbol of its age and vulnerability.
Within its walls, the church holds a poignant memorial to the crew of a 49 Squadron Avro Lancaster bomber that tragically crashed nearby in November 1944. The church isn’t just a building; it’s a repository of local history, a place of remembrance and community.
Parishioners recently rallied together, hosting a vibrant Easter Fair, a bustling cafe, and a joyful egg hunt, all in a determined effort to raise crucial funds. The spirit of the community is strong, fueled by a shared desire to save their beloved, leaning church.
Ironically, while St James’s struggles with its tilt, the Leaning Tower of Pisa itself has been subtly straightening over the last two decades. A reminder that even the most iconic leans can be corrected, offering a glimmer of hope for Dry Doddington’s historic treasure.
