Fulneck Moravian Church facts for kids
Fulneck Moravian Church and its special village, the Fulneck Moravian Settlement, were started in 1744. This happened on the Fulneck estate, near Pudsey in England.
A leader named Count Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, who was a Moravian Bishop, helped create it. He got the land from Benjamin Ingham, a kind Church of England priest. Today, Fulneck is part of the City of Leeds, West Yorkshire.
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History of Fulneck Moravian Church
How Fulneck Started
The Moravian Church began a long time ago, in 1457. It was renewed in 1722 in Germany under Count Zinzendorf. Moravians first came to England in 1728 and 1734. They wanted to make friends with the Church of England. They also wanted to help with missionary work in the American colonies.
In 1738, a Moravian group started in Fetter Lane, London. Famous people like John Wesley and his brother Charles were part of this group for a while.
In Yorkshire, a priest named Benjamin Ingham had many small Christian groups. He needed help to support them all. So, he asked the Moravians for help.
In 1742, a Moravian Bishop named August Gottlieb Spangenberg agreed to start a "Yorkshire Congregation." The Moravians set up their main base at Smith House near Halifax.
A Moravian family, the Gussenbauers, moved to Pudsey. Count Zinzendorf visited them in 1743 because their child was sick. He loved the view from Falneck (now Fulneck). He decided to build a special village there, like one he had seen in Germany. Benjamin Ingham bought the land and gave part of it to the Moravians for building.
What's in a Name?
The Moravians first called Fulneck "Lamb’s Hill." This name came from the Bible, meaning the Lamb of God and a "City Set Upon A Hill." They used this name from 1744 to 1760. The church building was called Grace Hall until 1763.
After that, they started using the name Fulneck. This was partly because it sounded like the old English name for the area, Falneck. It was also a way to honor Bishop John Amos Comenius. He was a Moravian leader from a town called Fulnek in Moravia.
The Moravian Village System
In the 1700s, Moravian churches often had their own self-contained villages. These villages usually had a chapel, special houses for single men, single women, and widows. They also had schools and an inn.
Single members lived, worked, and worshipped together in their shared houses. A village might have its own doctor, bakery, shop, farm, and other businesses. These businesses were called ‘diaconies’. They worked for the good of everyone, not for private profit.
The church members were organized into groups called Choirs. For example, there was a Married Choir, a Single Sisters’ Choir, and a Little Girls’ Choir. Each Choir was a small community that served God in its own way.
Building the Village
Benjamin Ingham gave the land to the Moravians in January 1744. They decided to start building in May 1745. The main building, called ‘Grace Hall’, began construction in 1746. This building included the chapel. It was officially opened on June 2, 1748.
The building style was typical for Moravians at that time. The chapel was not a separate building. Instead, a large hall in the middle of the main residence served as the worship space. This hall was on the first and second floors. It had tall windows that let in lots of natural light. People said the hall felt light and peaceful. The organ also added to its beauty.
The hall did not have an altar, font, or pulpit. The worship leader sat behind a table. The church members sat in their Choirs, with men and women sitting separately.
Benjamin Ingham thought the buildings were too grand. But Count Zinzendorf liked grand buildings. Many important visitors came to see the impressive village. Historians say Moravian villages were built grandly on purpose. They showed that these "towns of the Lord" had a noble purpose. They were places for missionaries to rest and prepare for their work.
Choir Houses at Fulneck
Many houses for single men and women were quickly built at Fulneck. In 1752, two large choir houses were finished. The Single Brethren's House was at one end of the long terrace. The Single Sisters’ House was at the other end. These houses also had gardens.
The front door of these houses opened into a dining room. A staircase led to the first floor, where there was a hall for meetings. The first and second floors had work and living rooms. The third floor was a large open dormitory. These houses were known for being clean, orderly, and peaceful.
A Widows’ House was built in 1763. Then a shop and an inn were added in 1771. A small tower was put on the church in 1779. By 1754, about 80 to 90 people lived in the choir houses.
Br James Charlesworth
James Charlesworth was a leader in the Single Brethren's Choir in 1751. He was very good at business. He helped raise money to prevent the Moravian Church from going bankrupt. This was important because the church was doing a lot of missionary work.
Mr. Charlesworth had a cloth weaving business that helped the church. He traded with countries like Portugal and Russia. In 1754, he also helped Count Zinzendorf and Benjamin Ingham become friends again.
God's Acre
The burial ground, called God's Acre, is at the eastern end of the village. It is simple and beautiful. Beyond a white entrance arch, the ground is divided into four squares. People were buried according to their Choir, not with their families. Each grave had only one person.
To show that everyone was equal, all gravestones were small and flat on the ground. They only showed the person's name and dates. In 1751, the Fulneck leaders noted that their "beautiful burial ground" often made people want to join the Moravian Church before they died.
Funerals were special. In 1751, a funeral for a single sister included a procession. Musicians led the way, followed by ministers and church workers. The coffin was carried by eight single men. The sisters and then the brethren followed.
On Easter Sunday morning, the church members would gather in God's Acre. They would walk around the graves with music. This celebrated Jesus's resurrection and remembered those who had passed away. In 1753, about 10,000 people came to this service. It was hard to manage, so the leaders stopped the procession in 1754.
Schools at Fulneck
Boarding schools for boys and girls opened at Fulneck in 1753 and 1755. The two schools joined together in 1994. A new building for the boys' school was built in 1784.
A famous student of Fulneck School was James Montgomery (1771–1854). He wrote many hymns. His father became a Moravian minister.
Training for Ministers
On October 12, 1808, a special school to train ministers opened at Fulneck. It was in the Brethren's House. Before this, people who wanted to become ministers had to go to schools in Germany.
In 1858, the British Moravian Church decided they needed a new training college. So, a new one opened at Fulneck in October 1860. This college also trained teachers for Moravian Schools. The college moved to Fairfield Moravian Settlement in Lancashire in 1875. This was so it could be closer to a bigger university.
Music at Fulneck
In the 1700s, Fulneck had bands of musicians, just like Moravian churches in Europe. They had trombone players who would play music at the Easter dawn services. This tradition is still alive in some Moravian churches today, but not usually in England.
On March 30, 1912, the first Yorkshire Moravian Choir Festival was held at Fulneck. Around the same time, the church organist, Mr. C S Nelson, retired after 47 years. His family had played the organ for the church for 92 years!
In recent times, Harold Jones, who was also a music teacher at Fulneck School, was the organist for a long time. Some of his music is in the Moravian Hymn Book.
The church has a pipe organ from 1748. Today, Dr. Simon Lindley, who lives in Fulneck, gives organ recitals once a month. He also leads a special music weekend at the church in August.
The Church Today
Fulneck Moravian Church is still an active church today. It has activities for people of all ages and interests. Family Worship is held every Sunday at 10:30 am. A special service called Lovefeast and Communion is held on the first Sunday of each month at 2:30 pm (except in January and August). Morning Prayers are held every Thursday at 9:45 am.
The Fulneck Museum is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays. You can visit from 2 pm to 4 pm, between Easter and the end of October.
Buildings
Fulneck Moravian Church is a Grade I listed building. This means it is a very important historic building.
You can find more details about other historic buildings in the village on the Fulneck Moravian Settlement page.
See also
- Fulneck Moravian Settlement
- Grade I listed buildings in West Yorkshire
- Listed buildings in Pudsey
