Cliviger residents charge into battle to save historic church (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Cliviger residents charge into battle to save historic church

10:00am Thursday 14th July 2011 in Cliviger

CLIVIGER residents are leading the charge to save their 16th Century church which is the final resting place of Crimean War hero General Sir James Yorke Scarlett.

St John the Divine's, Cliviger, is Burnley's second oldest church but is now facing a battle for survival because of extensive dry rot damage to the roof.

Sir James Yorke Scarlett led the Charge of the Heavy Brigade during the Battle of Balaclava on October 25, 1854.

Lady O’Hagan, the last of the Towneley family to live in Towneley Hall, Burnley, is also buried in the grounds of the church.

With a prospective bill in the region of £190,000, residents are organising a sponsored walk along Scarlett's Stride, a 12 mile route around the parish's woods, valleys and moors.

Lifelong villager Matt Pickles, a 41-year-old glazier, who is coordinating the walk, said: "The church is part of our heritage and lives, and it's also part of the nation's heritage. We want as many people as possible to be involved."

Rev Keith Henshall, from St John's, is concerned that the church could be forced to close as the roof is in need of a complete overhaul.

Matt hopes to raise thousands of pounds from the event and have hundreds of people taking part.

The Scarlett's Stride had previously been an annual church fund-raising event led by cobbler Eric Wrathall, 56, also a lifelong Cliviger resident, with more than 200 people often enjoying the route.

"We used to do these walks to raise money for the church, so I didn't need much persuading when Matt came to me with the idea to start it up again," said Eric.

"It's a beautiful walk taking in Hurstwood and looking down the valleys. I walked it a few times last week to revise some of the instructions from seven years ago - because things like the post office have gone."

The walk takes place on Saturday September 10. Contact Matthew Pickles on 07973361930