One branch of my family tree are from Norfolk, around the Swaffham area. The ministry of defence closed of the area of four of the churches in that area, and used it as a training area during ww2. I don't know if I will ever get to that area to do research, but apparently you have to give notice when you want to visit the churches because there is far too much unexploded amunition. Another church in the area at Great Cressingham doesn't get a very good report on the site
www.norfolkchurches.co.uk (sorry, I don't know how to attach links!!)
The person who has the site visited the church, and found it bolted, and nobody about. Many of my relatives were baptised there, so I am hoping that it will be still there when I can manage to visit the area, and hasn't been pulled down or turned into a factory warehouse.
A church in the next town to me in Cumbria is now hiring out rooms out for various reasons. I recently did a "Teamteach" course there, which included walking around doing warm-up exercises before we started. Downstairs in the church, there was a funeral going on at the same time. We were walking around doing our exercises to funeral music. Saying that, the church is magnificent, and should be applauded for showing enterprise in keeping things going.
I haven't been a church-goer for a few years, but did take my own children until they were old enough to make up their own minds about going. I was forced to go, and resented it. Maybe in the future my children will go back because they weren't forced.
