A SUCCESSFUL team behind the running of one of the region's most historic churches has applied to formally strike out on its own.

Cartmel Priory, in Cartmel, and its neighbouring church, St Peter's in Field Broughton, could become independent of the Cartmel Peninsula Team Ministry later this year.

The split would allow the 12th century priory, set within the centre of Cartmel village, to retain a dedicated vicar as well as setting its own programme of services and events.

A notice to parishioners in the area highlights the Cartmel Peninsula Team Ministry's plan - which could see just one paid priest covering 10 churches in the area, aided by one further full-time and one part-time minister who would be unpaid.

None would be based permanently at Cartmel Priory.

Final permission to make the move now rests with the Bishop of Carlisle, the Right Reverend James Newcombe, following a consultation period this month.

The notice to parishioners states: "The team came into being in 1997 as a mechanism for mutual clergy support on the peninsula, but it was not long before its hierarchy established a management structure of control over the operation of its member churches and their clergy.

"Cartmel Priory, with different needs and offering different ’services’ from the other members, resisted such control in so far as it was able, but this had become increasingly difficult to justify to those unwilling to recognise its wider role beyond that of a village parish church.

"St Peter’s had experienced its own difficulties with team membership and they decided independently that they wished to join with us in this quest."

Cartmel Priory is led by high-profile vicar, the Reverend Nick Devenish, who has appeared as an adviser on the Channel 4 show Married at First Sight.

Since his arrival at Cartmel Priory in 2012, Mr Devenish has introduced a series of programme of services and activities designed to strengthen its links with the community.

This has included forging links with local schools and helping to organise a three-day Magna Carta celebration festival in 2015.

The notice adds: "We very much hope and pray that the Bishop will support us in our efforts to take back control from the team enabling us to grow our church as outlined above, keeping it as a living entity at the heart of the village.

"If we are not successful in our quest we have the right of appeal which of course we would exercise, but this is likely to be long-winded and very costly and we would much prefer not to have to follow that route."

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