Access will be maintained to regularly tended graves in St Mary’s Churchyard and most of the graveyard in Brymbo, despite the need to erect a small safety cordon around some parts of the closed church building.

Local people are being advised that access to a very small area of St Mary’s Churchyard, immediately adjoining part of the building, will be restricted following ongoing safety concerns over the state of the roof. The decision to impose the restrictions follows reports of loose and falling slate tiles from the damaged roof, confirmed by reports prepared by professional advisors, and this is a requirement of our insurance company to protect the safety of visitors.

The Alyn Mission Area and the Archdeacon of Wrexham are conscious that this change at St Mary’s may be difficult and upsetting, but they want to assure people that they are working hard to ensure access to graves is maintained. Depending on the final layout of the safety cordon, no more than five graves, and maybe as few as one grave, will be within the cordon.

Contact is being made with those who regularly tend graves to ensure they are aware of the safety cordon and to reassure them that they will still be able to visit. Access into the churchyard will remain via the current gates and will not be affected.

Since the church closed, the Church in Wales has been working with the community to secure a future for the building. A community group, Friends of St Mary’s, had hoped to lease it and take over responsibility for its upkeep. However, two years on, the terms of the lease agreement have yet to be met by them.

The Church in Wales remains very keen to work with the community to find a future for this building.