In an unexpected about-turn, NBP has been advised that Naseby Church has withdrawn support for a proposed battlefield visitor centre: “The parochial church council (PCC) and members of the congregation indicate that they, too, would not welcome something they regard as an imposition upon the fabric and integrity of the church.”
NBP was shocked by this development as negotiations to create a visitor centre in the church have been pursued since 2013, when a partnership between the Naseby Battlefield Project and the Parochial Church Council of All Saints was established with the support of various village organisations. A subsequent consultation with Naseby village indicated overwhelming support for the plan that would have included toilets and kitchen facilities for the church and local community, a memorial to the fallen of the Civil War and a centre for visitors, including educational and military groups that visit the battlefield. Therefore, with regret, after many years of planning, thousands of hours freely given by volunteers, and considerable financial investment by the Naseby Battlefield Project, the Heritage Lottery Fund, Benefactors and Friends of Naseby – all based on the support of Naseby Church – Naseby Battlefield Project (NBP) is looking for a new site for a visitor centre.