The derelict St Mary’s Church, which is still the village burial-ground, and the more modern St John the Divine on Church Gate, form part of the Wiverton in the Vale Parish, part of the Diocese of Southwell.
The Parish of Wiverton in the Vale includes the villages of Barnstone, Colston Bassett, Cropwell Bishop, Cropwell Butler, Elton, Granby, Langar, Sutton and Tythby, so contains churches at Langar, Granby, Elton, Tythby and Cropwell Bishop.
Services are held on rotation at the various churches, with fuller information on their very informative website at https://www.wivertoninthevale.co.uk/
Regular services are held at St John the Divine, which is in the centre of the village on the junction of Church Gate and Bunison Lane. Parking is quite restricted around the church, with most vehicles parking on the adjacent School Lane or on occasion in the Village Hall paddock. There is no direct vehicle access to St Mary’s except during specific events; access to St Mary’s is available on foot off New Road along a 300m tree lined avenue that is passable in most conditions, with aprking near the gateway usually available. For the more adventurous St Mary’s can also be accessed via two marked footpaths, one half way along Church Gate leading over Pollards Bridge and the second across the Hall Grounds signposted off Hall Lane. These two footpaths probably require “suitable footwear” most of the year and are certainly not as access-friendly as the New Road access route.
Please remember that these footpaths cross private land, so please keep to the marked routes, observe the Countryside Code and maintain control of any accompanying pets (and possibly children) at all times. Whilst St Mary’s itself may appear an excellent playground, please remember that it remains consecrated ground and that the church is a Listed Monument, so please don’t allow folks to climb on the ruins or dump litter. Let’s help preserve and respect this beautiful place for future generations too.
