The Parish Church of St John the Baptist in Dodworth, near Barnsley, is set to close permanently after being hit with a repair bill exceeding £250,000. The 200-year-old Grade II listed building needs a full Welsh slate roof replacement, structural timber and beam repairs, and work to fix water ingress, costs the diocese has said are beyond its resources. The closure highlights the growing financial pressure facing historic churches across the UK as maintenance costs for ageing, listed buildings continue to rise.

Canon Keith Farrow said the estimated cost had initially seemed to be around £40,000 before growing into a much larger restoration project, prompting the diocese to begin formal closure proceedings this week. The church had already closed temporarily in May for repairs and structural surveys. Services are now being held at the Methodist Church on Green Road, and a public consultation on the closure is scheduled for 12 August at 19:00 BST.