Priceless landmark Georgian church put up for sale by CofE

A historic Grade II* listed Georgian church is being offered for sale by the Church of England - without a price tag.

St John's Church in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, has been empty for the past 20 years and now stands derelict - hemmed in on the north and east sides by the walls of the rear of the Potteries Shopping Centre and to the south side by what is, in effect, the Hanley ring road.

The spiritual care of the people of Hanley has long since passed to five neighbouring churches forming the Hanley Team Ministry and despite extensive efforts over the past 20 years church officials have been unable to find an alternative use for the building.

On Thursday, the Bishop of Stafford, the Rt Rev Gordon Mursell, will place For Sale signs on the building in a final attempt to find a suitable use for the building. And church officials say that if no alternative use can be found for the building they will have to consider demolition.

The building is being offered for sale without a price tag because normal rules for charities disposing of land do not apply. Under charity law, trustees are obliged to achieve the best possible price when disposing of assets; but the law which dictates how redundant churches are treated, known as The Pastoral Measure, places an obligation on church officials to find the most suitable alternative use. The most suitable use may not necessarily be the one which produces the biggest financial return.

If a suitable alternative use is found, a period of public consultation will take place and the Church Commissioners will prepare a Redundancy Scheme.

The law also dictates how money obtained from the disposal of redundant churches can be used. After deducting expenses, two-thirds of the proceeds go to the diocese's Pastoral Fund, which is used to pay for clergy and related costs; and the final third is used by the Church Commissioners to fund the work of the Churches Conservation Trust.

St John's Church was built between 1788 and 1790 with the chancel added in 1872. It is one of the oldest buildings in the inner urban core of the 'Potteries towns'.

The building is a Grade II* Listed church of red brick wall construction with stone dressings and has a slate roof. The use of cast iron in the church is said to be amongst the earliest examples of such construction and detailing of architecture.

The stained and painted glass windows of the church include a very rare painted example from the William IV period, and the only stained glass window in the country commemorating the death of a soldier killed in the Zulu War.

The marketing of the property will run for six months from 1 November 2007 and offers will be accepted until April 2008.

A structural survey undertaken for the Diocese of Lichfield shows estimated repair costs of £1.5 million - this excludes work such as bell frame and repair, internal fittings, finishes and decoration or repairs to the gallery.