Future of Stoke Newington’s Old Church hangs in the balance
- Jenna Fansa
- 7 hours ago
- 2 min read
An emergency campaign has been launched to save a treasured community venue and London’s oldest Elizabethan church from closure.
The team behind the Old Church in Stoke Newington need to raise £30,000 for urgent replacement of its ground toilet drain and other repairs and they’re urging the public to donate.
Deirdre Malynn, Director of the Old Church, said: “This building is such a gem – it’s a beloved space. In the past year we’ve put on more than 160 events. But we’re at imminent risk of closure if we can’t raise these funds. The joints between the Victorian clay pipes which run from the venue into the graveyard have dropped, causing sewage to back up. We’ve been having to get a company to clear it but now it has become critical. If we don’t raise the funds within three months, we’ll have to close. Having a working soil pipe is fundamental to whether we can safely keep the building open.
“We would like to keep the church going for the next generation and to see it reach its 500th birthday. There is something very special about the acoustics in this building and the gardens and graveyard outside are a haven for wildlife and a place for people to sit and be still.”
If the funds are raised, expert contractors will work to sensitively excavate the Grade II Listed site and replace the crumbling pipework. They’ll also repair the water supply, replace a damaged ramp and repair other damage caused by the broken pipes.
The Old Church dates back to 1563 and reopened after Covid in 2022 as an arts centre, supporting grassroots community events. As well as being a consecrated church, it’s also a community space and music venue hosting everything from Baroque and folk to techno. Among the big names to have performed there are Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth and MUNA’s Katie Gavin. It’s the main venue for the Stoke Newington Early Music Festival and has regularly hosted Hackney Prom, Kings Place Choir as well as programme of wellness events from yoga to belly dancing. In the autumn they hope to host a series of film screenings there.
Deirdre added: “We’ve had the best year ever here, with over 160 events hosted but this drain repair is a once in a lifetime event and I hope we’ll be able to continue.”
To donate, visit www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/save-the-old-church
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