Ecclesiastical exemption in the free churches: triumph or tragedy?

The previous issue of Church Archaeology carried a short piece by Joe Elders on the future of the Ecclesiastical Exemption, written largely from the point of view of the Church of England. This article takes a slightly different perspective. The writer makes no claim to speak on behalf of the Free Churches but having previously served for a number of years on the listed buildings advisory committees of two major denominations as well as a decade on a diocesan advisory committee he is happy to offer the following observations.