HL Deb 14 February 1961 vol 228 cc716-8

3.13 p.m.

THE LORD BISHOP OF LONDON rose to move to resolve, That in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act, 1919, this House do direct that the Farnham Castle Measure, 1961, be presented to Her Majesty for the Royal Assent. The right reverend Prelate said: My Lords, 'I rise to move the 'Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper. I do so with somewhat mixed feelings. As a Church Commissioner and a member of the Estates and Finance Committee I am wholly, if reluctantly, in favour of what the Measure sets out to achieve. But it also happens that was the last Bishop of Guildford to live in Farnham Castle, so I cannot help feeling some regret that this historic 'building will no longer serve as the official residence of the Bishop of Guildford. On the other hand, I realise only too well that, as a place of residence, it belongs to a day and age which is past. At the present time, no Bishop can afford to live even in the comparatively small proportion of the whole building which I occupied while I was there.

The object of the Measure, and the effect of the various clauses, is fully set out in the comments and explanations of the Legislative Committee which are attached to the Report laid before your Lordships' House in November last. I need not therefore worry your Lordships with a description. Briefly, the situation is this. Before the division of the Diocese of Winchester, Farnham Castle was for many centuries the residence of the Bishops of Winchester. When Winchester was divided, the castle was geographically in the new Diocese of Guildford, and plans for its future had to be made. The Diocese of Winchester (Division) Measure, 1923, provided for a scheme to be made either for the sale of the castle or for its continued use for purposes connected with the Church of England. A scheme was duly made in 1926, and under that scheme the castle was to be used as the official residence for the Bishop of Guildford, for diocesan offices, for a theological college or a school, a training college or a retreat house. The castle was vested in the Diocesan Board of Finance, and the actual use had to be determined by the Board, with the approval of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. Part of the castle was set up as a residence for the Bishop, and the remainder remained vested in the Board of Finance and was used as a retreat house until the end of 1958.

The late Bishop of Guildford, my immediate successor, did not live in the castle. The present position is that the whole castle is unoccupied; and, after exhaustive efforts, no other use connected with the Church of England that would be practicable has been found. It is clearly highly desirable that the building should be occupied. It is also desirable, in order to facilitate this, that the whole building and grounds should be in one ownership. The object of the Measure is therefore to vest the whole property in the Church Commissioners, and to give them power to let, but not to sell, the whole or part to approved persons for approved purposes: and this approval is required to be given by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Guildford. The Measure has been drawn up in the closest association with the Church Commissioners and the diocesan authorities. It has received the approval of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, and was approved by the Diocesan Conference with one dissenting vote. It was debated on two occasions in the Church Assembly. At no stage was there a Division, and the only amendments made were small drafting ones made at the instance of those in charge of the Measure. The Ecclesiastical Committee has reported favourably upon the Measure, and I have no hesitation in commending it to your Lordships. I beg to move the Resolution on the Order Paper.

Moved to resolve, That in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act, 1919, this House do direct that the Farnham Castle Measure, 1961, be presented to Her Majesty for the Royal Assent.—(The Lord Bishop of London.)

VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGH

My Lords, I am sure we are all grateful to the right reverend Prelate for the careful explanation given of this Measure. I was asking about it before the meeting of your Lordships. I now fully understand it, and welcome it very much. May I take this opportunity of saying how sorry I am to see the notice in the papers that the right reverend Prelate may be leaving his important charge, and to say how grateful many of us have been for the manner in which he has assisted the House of Lords in the past by his quietness, good fellowship and the general good feeling which he has displayed?

On Question, Motion agreed to, and ordered accordingly.