FOR the best part of a century, a tall, carved stone pulpit, refined by a series of short decorative columns in various hues of marble, graced a small parish church.

A succession of vicars, reaching back to the early 1900s, climbed up its steps to deliver messages of hope and redemption and to urge the congregation to fight the good fight against the dark forces of evil.

But no sermon will ever again be presented from that lofty perch. For the Edwardian pulpit, together with its companion font, has been removed, broken up and buried in the graveyard of St Mark's Church, Haydock.

They had fallen victims of obsolescence at the impressively revamped church, where modernisation in recent times has included the removal of wooden pews in favour of more comfortable and practical free-standing chairs, and the inclusion of a King's Table dining facility.

This most unusual of 'interments', in accordance with Canon Law, passed with scarcely a ripple among a congregation which often fills St Mark's to overflowing for Sunday morning family services.

There were just a few vague mutterings among the more traditionally minded, about 'loss of heritage' and the smashing up of 'antique examples of church art'. But the vicar, Canon Phil Potter, has proved equal to this rather muted criticism.

While appreciating the views of the preservationists, he explains that, following extensive modernisation, the ancient pulpit became of no practical use. Obscured from view in sections of the church, it had been tall enough make the preacher seem rather remote from the worshippers. There had been no practical way in which the pulpit could have been re-positioned as an historic focal point within the building, and its removal now freed up extra space.

Canon Potter points out that the Church had three elements of duty to consider. While recognising the value of a sense of history, it also had to adapt to suit modern times while at the same time focusing on the future.

SOUND principles, of course! And his church has certainly proved a rare success story as Britain becomes increasingly secular, with many empty places of worship demolished or commercially re-adapted. But I personally feel a tinge of sadness that this example of our old-time sculptors' craft should come to such a shattering end.