PLANS to build an extension on a treasured village church connected to children's author Lewis Carroll will be discussed in an open meeting at the end of the month.

The open meeting will be held on Monday, June 29 to discuss whether there should be an extension built on the St Peter's Church, in Croft, to provide kitchen and toilet facilities.

Members of the public are to be invited to have their say on the plans before any planning application is submitted.,

St Peter’s parochial church council has introduced the plans in an attempt to make the church more accessible to the public.

One of the church wardens, Sally Boddy said: “I think the way churches are going there is a need to have more facilities to be able to host weddings and family services.

“We want people to be able to spend the day here rather than just an hour or so.”

The extension is intended to be on built on the outside to preserve the historical objects inside the church.

Mrs Boddy said: “Other considerably larger churches sacrifice their clock towers or unused parts of the church for extensions but we just don’t have that space.

“We do not want to disrupt any of the history inside the church because that type of history can’t be replaced.

“Some people think that it is not necessary to extend the Church but most of the public’s response has been positive.”

The plans also intend to protect the exterior of the church and any memorial pieces on the walls.

St Peter’s Church is a 14th Century style building that sits on the bank of the Tees, where County Durham meets North Yorkshire.

It is famous for its connections to Lewis Carroll, author of Alice in Wonderland, whose father Charles Ludwidge Dodgson was rector.

Carroll is said to have based his famous Cheshire Cat figure on a carving on a pew end in the church which could be seen when sat, but which disappeared as the viewer stood up.

His "Jabberwocky" poem is also said to have been inspired by the local Sockburn Worm legend.

There are three drawings of plans that are being considered at the moment, but the church council want to take them to the community before any plans are finalised.

The open meeting will be held at 7pm, in the church, on June 29.