A CONCERNED villager from East Carlton is appealing to fellow

residents to fight plans to close the church.

The Wharfedale Observer revealed last August that villagers were being consulted about the possible closure of St Bartholomew's Church in East Carlton.

In a leaflet distributed in East Carlton, the Rev Graham Atherton, vicar of Guiseley, said no decision had been taken but there was a possibility that the church could be moved to another part of the village.

Five months later a decision on the future of the church has yet to be made and now moves are afoot to set up opposition to the plans.

In a letter to the Wharfedale Observer, a concerned villager says the closure would be disastrous for the village and appeals to readers to back a campaign to keep the church open.

The writer, who prefers not to be named, says: "It is the focal point of the village community. Not having a shop or a pub, our church is very important to us as a small village.

"As the small relation in the parish of Guiseley, it now seems they wish to close the church down and sell the property to the highest bidder.

"Surely this is a sad state of affairs when we can keep up to our small church without any need for funds from our 'mother' church - St Oswald's in Guiseley."

The villager appeals to people to write to the Vicar of Guiseley or the Bishop of Bradford and let them know about the opposition to the closure.

The Rev Graham Atherton told the Wharfedale this week that nothing had changed and no

decision had been made about the future of the church.

He added a number of people had written to him last year about the proposals and they had been largely supportive.

l Villagers want the church to stay open because Squire James Carlton Eckersley, of Carlton Manor, had given it to them in 1927, to be used as a church, verger's cottage and schoolroom.

They claim that the church is the only public space in the village, that the building is easy to maintain and that new homes are being built and that there is now a greater spirit in the community.

St Bartholomew's comprises a small nave, seating for about 50 people, with an altar and a pulpit. There is also a small vestry and a porch.

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