SDO12530 - The Priory Church of the Holy Trinity, Christchurch Twyneham, Dorset. Conservation Management Plan.

The Priory Church at Christchurch in Dorset is a place of regular Christian worship for c. 400 people, an occasional haven for thousands and a civic venue working at capacity. It is physically one of the largest parish churches in retain, part of a monastic precinct and the relic of a monastic estate that extended across the whole of south central England during the middle Ages. It is arguably, the most archaeological complex structure of its type, with an unequalled archive of fabric records that record works of modification, repair and maintenance from the 17th century. The church and its former monastic precincts are divided amongst several landowners and occupiers, with an even wider range of stakeholders. In addition to their Christian function, they are a well-used cultural amenity for the town and its hinterland, and one of the principal attractions of a heritage tourism economy that earns the town £28.5 million per year and generates a further £10 million in Gross Value Added. It is likely that the Priory church earns the town over a million pounds a year. Conservation of the material fabric and cultural significance of the church and its former monastic precincts is an expensive and continuous undertaking that would benefit from effective use of resources, greater co-operation between the stakeholders and a wider public appreciation of the value of the church and its former precincts to the town, region and country. To that end, the Conservation Management Plan proposes a suite of policies and Management guidelines addressing the Principal issues facing the PCC and its principal stakeholders, viz: Multiple ownership; statutory controls; finance; prioritisation of maintenance and repairs; archaeological sensitivity, restoration; structural repairs and non-structural repairs; cleaning; access; archives and collections; use of space; liturgy and layout; circulation and signage; partnerships; urban setting and landscape; climate change; disaster management; and adoption of the conservation management plan.