Faith Features

The bats are in the eaves at Salford.

The destruction of natural habitats and the modernisation of farm buildings mean that bats are using our rural churches as roosts. The eaves enable them to shelter in conditions resembling the once extensive forests that covered most of Bedfordshire. Twelve of the seventeen species of British bat are found in the county and are monitored by The Bat Conservation Trust and locally the Bedfordshire Bat Group.

Protective measures at Tingrith

For many churches they have co-existed with bats for years. For others however the location of the bats cause big problems. At St Nicholas in Tingrith the bats were in the roof over the nave. Droppings and urine dropped down on the pews and worshippers say there was a strong smell. The droppings can be swept up but the urine is corrosive staining brasswork and floor tiles. Pigeons in the end moved the bats on and now they are in the porch, although the pews are still covered as a precaution.

Bats are no respecters of tradition.

The Reverend Hugh Symes-Thompson must wake up in the night with bat nightmares: two of his three churches have bats.  At the distinctive twelfth century church of St Mary the Virgin in Salford, the bats are in the eaves and the droppings stain the walls and the tiled floor is permanently stained by splashes of urine. Hugh has tried to address the problem but realises there is little he can do. He would like to have some kind of sonic device to deter the bats but that would be illegal.

A bat walk in Priory Country Park.

I realised I actually hadn't seen a bat on my travels. Therefore I joined the rangers at Priory Country Park in Bedford. It was good to meet Bob Corns from the Bedfordshire Bat Group. He loaned me a bat detector which enables the bats' sonic signals to be heard by the human ear. As darkness set in, there was an initial disappointment.  The presence of a hobby hovering over the trees persuaded the larger nocturne bats to stay put. Soon though the bat boxes exploded into life as the soprano pipistrelles soon started to whizz above our heads in pursuit of insects. Soon a deeper note was heard and this was the common pipistrelle. The fourth species, the daubenton hadn't appeared when I left.

The bats roost in the church porch .

Bats are amazing creatures and  are increasingly being seen as an indicator of the health of the environment. Go on a bat walk and experience nature at its most wonderful. Also spare a thought for those congregations who sing "All Things Bright and Beautiful" through gritted teeth as they grin and bear having bats in belfry.