Dispelling the myths: Bats in churches

By Hazel Tocock, Bats in Churches Advisor at the Bat Conservation Trust 

Have you ever seen a shadowy, flittering figure whizz past you as you walk through the churchyard at dusk? Or perhaps you’ve discovered dry, glittery droppings but never found out who left these behind? Your church might just be home to bats!

Bats are a key part of church life; the Bats in Churches project found that around half of all Anglican churches house bats, which equates to over 8000 churches across England. At least 12 of our 18 UK bat species have been found in these churches with an average of three bat species found in just one church.

Traditional church architecture offers plenty of roosting spaces for bats – and not just in the belfry! Voids and crevices are perfect for roosting, the spacious interior provides safe flight spaces and of course there are plenty of insects to feed on in the surrounding churchyard. Even churches built in a non-traditional style, and places of worship from other traditions, can provide refuge for bats as well as people.

Many churches live happily alongside their bats, and even large bat roosts can almost go unnoticed. Most churches contacted through the Bats in Churches surveys said that their bats do not affect worship or other activities such as weddings, funerals and Sunday Schools, which is very encouraging.

So, if you discover bats in your church, what do you need to know?

The National Bat Helpline, on behalf of Natural England, can provide you with advice and support on:

• grounded bats,
• planning building works where there are known roosts, roost related issues,
• or just general information about bats.

The Bat Conservation Trust website offers a vast array of information relating to bats in churches, and guidance on how to contact your Statutory Nature Conservation Organisation when planning building works.

To give you an idea of what may happen if a church contacts us about works at their church, a good example is St Michael and All Angels, Withyham, in Sussex. They contacted us regarding the need to repair the peg tiles on the Nave roof. Although they knew they had bats, they were hoping to carry out the work over the winter as they didn't think they had bats where the work was to be carried out. One of Natural England’s Volunteer Bat Roost Visitors carried out a thorough survey of the church and the Bat Conservation Trust then used this report to send a statutory advice letter to the church on behalf of Natural England.

All advice received is personalised and will be dependent on various factors specific to your church. In the case above with St Michael & all Angels, we advised the church to undertake their work in the spring or the autumn, as works during the winter would have disturbed hibernating bats. 

Bats as an opportunity for your church

We’ve also found that having bats can be a brilliant community engagement asset! Many churches now hold community bat walks, or bat surveys, where they contribute to the National Bat Monitoring Programme.

There is plenty of support for churches who discover they have bats, whether you need advice before undertaking building works, or you are just curious to find out more about these fascinating creatures. Furthermore, through bat related events and activities, bats can actually help your church attract more visitors and volunteers, and may even contribute to fundraising at your church.

For Churches: top tips for your place of worship 

• Bats are a protected species, and so it’s important to get the right advice if you have bats roosting in your building.
• The Bat Conservation Trust website and the National Bat Helpline are great places to start if you have questions or need guidance on next steps if you suspect you have bats in your church building.
• If you have bats in your church, consider hosting bat-related activities. These are a great way to engage your local community and can help with fundraising efforts for your church as well. Make sure to share your event with the Bat Conservation Trust, as they may help you to promote it.