Standing next to the banks of the UK's fifth longest river - the Great Ouse - St Peter in Wiggenhall, five miles south of King's Lynn, has become a shell of its former self.

Of the 100 ruined churches in the county, it remains one of the most striking and atmospheric, with its 13th-century tower remaining relatively intact although the roof has disappeared.

St Peter church in Wiggenhall became a ruin in the early 20th century (Image: Geograph/Martin Pearman)

Having not been used for worship since the 1930s, Right Reverend Dagmar, the Bishop of Huntingdon - part of the Diocese of Ely - is now seeking to declare it closed.

Church officials say the move is ultimately a financial one as it may open the way for other uses of the site.

The building's demise is part of the fascinating story of how the low-lying geography of the Fens has been changed through human intervention in a bid to control the flow of water, secure land for farming and protect homes from flooding.

READ MORE: Norfolk's churches at risk if government cuts funding

An aerial view of Wiggenhall St Germans and its pumping station, with Wiggenhall St Peter in the far distance (Image: Mike Page)

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