At last, church gets a loo after 800 years

Relief for St Peters' parishioners, Shirwell

Churchgoers in a village near Barnstaple are to get a new loo.

At the moment, the congregation and visitors to the Grade I-listed St Peter’s Church at Shirwell have to use facilities at the village hall which can only be accessed by steep steps.

The new stone lavatory building near the lychgate, and designed to be in keeping with it, will provide disabled access. But a nearby tree, which is in poor health, will be chopped down to make way for the loo. To save everyone’s blushes, the council says the toilet’s windows have to be glazed too so people can’t see in.

North Devon Council’s planning officers approved the scheme for the 800-year-old church under delegated powers. 

Local boy made good Sir Francis Chichester, the first person to sail solo around the world, and who was born in Shirwell, has his resting place in the churchyard.

There were no objections to the proposal.

In planning documents, agent for the applicant Alison Bunning said: “St Peter’s is a fine church, but badly needs a WC to cater for the needs of the diverse ages that attend the church. The nearest alternative has entirely unsuitable and dangerous access.”

She said the scheme had wide support including from Shirwell Parish Council and the Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC) as well as the council’s heritage and conservation officer.

Although the planned loo is close to some homes, planning officers didn’t think it likely that neighbours would be impacted by noise, loss of privacy or much else, given it would only be used from time to time.