A vicar has started an unholy row after threatening to sell off the church silver to fund a new vestry.

The Rev Tim Hall, vicar of Minster Abbey, is also looking at plans to sell a church hall.

Both the hall and silverware – some of which was presented by Lord Nelson – belong to Queenborough’s Holy Trinity Church, of which Mr Hall has overall control as priest in charge of the West Sheppey benefice.

But the move has stunned worshippers and infuriated Queenborough Town Council.

Mayor Mick Constable fired off a broadside this week to the Archdeacon of Maidstone, the Ven Stephen Taylor.

He said: “The town is in uproar after finding out about this. We are not happy. It is our history they are talking about.

“Stripping the church of such a treasure would be an unacceptable threat to our ecclesiastical heritage.

“We have a duty of care to our community not just for this generation but for generations to come.”

He warned church artefacts could be bought by foreigners and lost to this country or worse – melted down and lost forever.

He said: “We want to be sure the church has explored every other option. There are funds available for work like this.”

The silver is kept at Leeds Castle near Maidstone.

The town council has invited the archdeacon to explain the plans at its next meeting, on Monday, May 8, at the Guildhall.

Archdeacon Taylor, who was at a meeting of the parochial church council when it was agreed to review all buildings and assets, said: “We have a responsibility to use all of our resources wisely and as part of this process the churches are taking another look at their assets and the allocation of their resources.

“This is being done in consultation with the congregations and communities. No decisions have been made.”

It is expected the discussions could take up to a year. Meanwhile, a church insider admitted the current vestry tacked on to the back of 649-year-old church was a “death trap” with rotten floorboards and corrugated iron for walls.

Mr Hall, a father-of-two who became the benefice’s first priest in charge in September 2012, is no stranger to controversy having stripped out some of the Victorian pews from the 1,352-year-old Minster Abbey and closing St Peter’s church.

He is currently on a three-month sabbatical to Russia and Siberia but in an email admitted: “Yes, both are up for review but nothing has been agreed and no sums are known at this stage.

“We are having the silver at Queenborough valued because the church needs to get its vestry rebuilt.

“Last year everyone worked phenomenally hard to raise money but at that rate it would take 50 years to reach the required total.

“We are looking at selling the hall because Queenborough already has a lot of halls but none in the new area being developed between Queenborough and Rushenden.

“We are thinking of investing our time and energy in that new community rather than keeping yet another hall going.”

Should the silver be sold? Email your comments to timesguardian@thekmgroup.co.uk