It is believed that about 60 per cent of English churches predating the 16th Century house bat roosts. The true number could be much higher.

To find out more about how and why bats gravitate towards churches for their roosts, the National Bats in Churches Survey began in 2019. This year will be the final year of the survey and volunteers are needed to help collect information that will help the future conservation of bats and church communities alike.

During the survey, which is a partnership between heritage and conservation organisations supported by volunteers, churches across the country have been checked for signs of bats. Last year, 219 churches were surveyed, and signs of bats were found in just over half of them – including St Mark’s, in Talbot.

Since the start of the survey, 13 different bat species have been recorded and it has been discovered that there is often more than one species living side-by-side. One of the rarest mammals in Britain – the grey long-eared bat – was discovered in a church in Devon.

Bats have been associated with churches for centuries. With complex structures packed full of cosy nooks and crannies, not to mention churchyards bursting with wildflowers attracting tasty insects for bats to eat, churches make great homes for these threatened animals.

Training and surveys officer at Bats in Churches, Claire Boothby, said: “If you have an interest in churches, bats or both I’d encourage you to get involved. The surveys are something that everyone can do, even if you are new to the world of bat surveys.

“The records will be key in telling us more about bats’ use of churches, including answering questions such as how many churches in England house bat roosts and which factors affect the likelihood of bats using these cherished buildings. The findings will go towards guidance documents to help churches and conserve both the buildings and the bats.”

Volunteer Kathy Warden, who took part in the survey last year, said: “Knowing how valuable churches can be for bats, I thought this nationwide survey was a great opportunity to contribute and discover a bit more about our local bats at the same time. The best moment came after scouring the church for signs of bat activity to see a brown long-eared bat looking down from high up in the chancel roof. It couldn’t help but make anybody smile!”

No experience is needed to survey a church. All the help and information you need to take part can be found at https://batsinchurches.org.uk/volunteer-bat-survey/