THE Church of England is facing a rebellion from rank-and-file clergy over a plan to end the 1,000-year-old system of the parson’s freehold, under which priests own their church, churchyard and vicarage in trust for parishioners.

A report commissioned by the church’s General Synod, to be published tomorrow, recommends that bishops take direct control of parish churches to streamline management and make it easier to sack incompetent priests.

However, the proposal, to be debated at the synod next month, has united traditionalist and trade union-affiliated clergy against what they see as an attack on priestly independence and job security.

“Such a proposal is really a kind of theft,” said John Masding, chairman of the English Clergy Association. “The local church buildings are really village property. In most cases, the property was acquired locally. It was not given to them from above. Most clergy will have serious reservations about this.”

The recommendation is part of a review of clergy employment conditions by David McClean, professor of law at Sheffield University and one-time chairman of the synod’s House of Laity.

His change would move the freehold to the diocese. Parish priests value freehold as a protection against “bullying” by their bishops, but senior church figures see the system as an anachronism and it has been called a “free meal ticket for life”.

Most bishops are likely to back the change. Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, has said: “The freehold makes it possible for an idle priest, a visionless priest, an incompetent priest, to disregard his bishop.”

The freehold principle is enshrined in Magna Carta, passed in 1215, but dates originally from before the Norman conquest of 1066.

At their induction into a parish, priests are given what is called “real, actual and corporeal possession” of a parish. They are then given the keys of their church.

Once priests have freehold, it is impossible for their bishop to move them to another job without their consent. Unless a priest commits a criminal offence, dismissal is almost out of the question.

The review group will recommend a new system called “common tenure”, which it claims would give job security without property rights.

The proposals would also entitle clergy to have recourse to employment tribunals.

A member of the review group who asked not to be named said the proposed changes might provoke another row as the church tries to cope with splits over homosexuality and women bishops. “Freehold belongs to the past,” he said. “But there is a real danger of unravelling too much at any one point.”

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