Villagers defeat Historic England in plan to display war poppies all year

VILLAGERS have won a battle against Historic England over honouring their war dead after a Church judge ruled they can use a wreath holder to display poppies all year round.

A proposal to buy two holders to display poppies at the Grade I-listed St Mary’s Church in Tutbury, Staffs, put forward by the Rev Ian Whitehead and the local war memorial’s preservation committee, won the support of the Parochial Church Council.

But it ran into opposition from Historic England, the conservation group, and Tutbury parish council, who said the displays may be too prominent and not in keeping with the listed building. A spokesman for Historic England re- ferred to the design of the metal frame to display the wreathes as “overly functional in appearance and of insufficient artistic merit in this sensitive context.” The parish council said it was unnecessary or inappropriate for the wreaths to remain in place for so long.

However, the Chancellor of the Diocese, Stephen Eyre QC, in his role as a judge of the Church of England’s Con- sistory Court, said: “I am satisfied that it is appropriate for the wreaths to remain in the vicinity of the memorial for an extended period.”

He said the proposed wreath holders were “of an appropriate standard”, adding: “It may not be as great an improvement as Historic England might have wished but it is an improvement nonetheless and as such is to be welcomed.” A spokesman for Tutbury Parish Council said the dispute is with the Tutbury War Memorial Preservation Committee. “Tutbury Parish Council are concerned about how these wreath holders will deteriorate and interfere with the view of the church,” she said.

It also had safety concerns about the risk of “young people congregating or climbing on this structure”.