St Matthew's Church, Leyburn, North Yorkshire facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Matthew |
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| The Parish Church of St Matthew, Leyburn | |
| St Matthew's | |
The Church of St Matthew Leyburn
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| OS grid reference | SE113903 |
| Location | Leyburn, North Yorkshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Weekly attendance | 40 (average 2015) |
| History | |
| Consecrated | 16 September 1868 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | Christoper George Wray |
| Architectural type | Geometrical |
| Construction cost | £3,000 (1868) |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Leyburn |
| Deanery | Wensley |
| Archdeaconry | Richmond & Craven |
| Diocese | Leeds |
The Church of St Matthew Leyburn is the main church for the town of Leyburn in North Yorkshire, England. It is also known as The Parish Church of St Matthew, Leyburn. You can find it just south-east of Leyburn town centre, next to the A684 road.
This church is quite new compared to many others. It was built in 1868. Before this, people from Leyburn had to travel about 1 mile (1.6 km) to Wensley to go to church. In 1956, Leyburn got its own official church area, called a parish.
In 2017, the church was allowed to remove its old wooden benches (pews). This change helped to create more space for parking cars nearby. The church celebrated its 150th birthday in 2018.
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's History
For a long time, Leyburn didn't have its own church. There was an older church building in Leyburn until the 1500s. It was located west of town in an area called Chapel Flatts.
From Church to Barn
During the English Reformation, when England changed from Catholicism, this old church was no longer used for worship. It was turned into a barn. Over time, it fell apart, and local people used its stones to build houses and walls. By the early 1800s, the old church was completely gone. This meant Leyburn, a market town, had no church, which was unusual.
Why Wensley Was Important
Historically, Wensley was a more important settlement than Leyburn. Wensley had a market since 1202, much earlier than Leyburn's market, which started in the 1500s. This is why the main church for the area was in Wensley. After a serious illness (a plague) hit Wensley in 1563, many people left. Wensley became a very small village, but it still had its large church.
Building St Matthew's Church
In 1836, a temporary church building was put up in Leyburn. This was like a smaller, helper church to Holy Trinity Church in Wensley. When the Church of St Matthew was officially opened in 1868, it still acted as a helper church. It wasn't until 1956 that Leyburn became its own separate church parish. Until then, the church records for Leyburn were kept with those from Holy Trinity Church in Wensley.
The land for St Matthew's Church was given by Lord Bolton. The church is the only one ever designed by an architect named Christopher George Wray. It is described as being in a "Geometrical style." The church has a tower on its west side, which holds the only public clock in Leyburn.
Construction and Features
Building the church cost £3,000 in 1868. This money came from public donations. The original plan was for an even bigger church, but there wasn't enough money. A special rule was made that no burials were allowed in the churchyard. This rule has been followed, except for one former churchwarden who was buried there in 1955.
The church is built from sandstone. It has a special type of roof called a hammerbeam roof, covered with Welsh slate. The main part of the church, called the nave, is about 48 feet (14.6 m) long and 21 feet (6.4 m) wide. It also has an aisle that is 11 feet (3.4 m) wide. The tower is three stories tall and measures 10 feet (3 m) square.
Architect and Recognition
Christopher George Wray, the architect, didn't design any other Christian churches, except for some work on the Church of St Anne, Catterick. However, he did design other famous buildings, like The Maritime Museum in Hull and the Palace Hotel in Cairo.
Bishop Robert Bickersteth officially opened the church in September 1868. The church organ was finished a bit later, in May 1870. In 1967, the building was given a special status as a grade II listed building, meaning it's an important historical building.
Remembering a Hero
On the west wall of the church, there is a special plaque. It remembers Flight Lieutenant Alan Broadley. He was a navigator in the Royal Air Force from Richmondshire. He died during a military mission called Operation Jericho in February 1944. This mission was a raid on Amiens Prison.
Recent Updates
In 2016, the church received a grant of £36,000 to fix its roof and drainage system. In the same year, plans were announced to remove the pews (benches) and add a new glass hallway to an outside building. These changes were meant to update the church and make it a community space for everyone. Even though some people didn't agree with the plans, they were approved by the local council and the Diocese of Leeds in 2016 and 2017.
In 2018, the Church of St Matthew celebrated its 150th anniversary, marking a long history in Leyburn.
