Our Parish Profile

Our Building and Our Parish

Myndtown is a rural parish in the foothills of the Longmynd, on the edge of the Onny Valley, near to the village of Wentnor. It is made up of around two dozen homesteads – about 60 people in total - including a number of working farms, smallholdings, private houses and several holiday homes. The parish includes a full cross-section of people, ranging from retired couples, younger professional couples and families with children. The population includes long standing residents (with several generations preceding them in the parish) and relative newcomers. Employment within the parish is exclusively agriculture-related, but a number of residents commute outwards to work in Bishops Castle, Church Stretton, Ludlow, Shrewsbury and further afield.

St John the Baptist church is close to Myndtown Hall Farm on the Plowden Estate, and dates back to the 12th Century.

In 2016 the church was awarded a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant to carry out structural repairs, stimulate visitor numbers and promote community engagement. Work was completed

in 2017 and the church is now in good order and attracts a steady stream of visitors and provides a venue for occasional concerts.

Services are now held approximately four times a year, with these being promoted as special occasions that attract congregations ranging from 15 to 40 people. In recent years, these special services have included St Valentines, a summer Pet Service, Harvest Festival and Christmas Carols.

Going forward, we are engaging with the Caring for God’s Acre initiative to conserve and enhance the churchyard.

Our Congregation

St John the Baptist church has historic interest and attracts visitors from far and wide. The small number of special services typically attracts support from across the Benefice and further afield. Support otherwise falls to a small number of committed families who, between them, carry out the required duties and take responsibility for raising in the region of £1,500 to £2,000 each year. This, along with the offertory from services and visitor donations, helps to keep the finances stable. Events such as quiz nights and harvest suppers organised by local families have in recent years maintained the required annual funding.

Our Vision for Growth

As a parish we welcome new ideas, and would support a clear, concise and modern approach to worship that makes the church relevant not just to the current generation but younger people.

Ideally, we would like our new incumbent to share our love of the countryside and have an appreciation of rural issues. An interest in the local (Norbury) primary school is considered important as is an ability to communicate well with a broad spectrum of inhabitants.