Holy Redeemer Church, York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Holy Redeemer Church |
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The church, seen from the south
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| 53°57′59″N 1°07′28″W / 53.966278°N 1.124481°W | |
| OS grid reference | [1] |
| Location | York, North Yorkshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Dedication | Holy Redeemer |
| Consecrated | 1965 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | George Pace |
| Style | Modern |
| Groundbreaking | 1959 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Brick |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | York |
| Archdeaconry | York |
| Diocese | York |
| Province | York |
The Holy Redeemer Church is a special building located on Boroughbridge Road in the Acomb area of York, England. It's a place of worship for the Church of England and has a really interesting history, mixing old and new parts.
Contents
Building the Church
The Holy Redeemer Church has been built in two main stages.
The First Building
The very first church building here was quite simple. It was made of brick and finished in 1938. Today, this original building is used as the church hall. It is connected to the newer, main church building behind it.
The New Church Design
The main church you see today was built between 1959 and 1965. It was designed by a famous architect named George Pace. He created a modern style for the church.
Special Features of the Church
What makes Holy Redeemer Church unique is that it uses parts from an older, demolished church. This older church was called St Mary, Bishophill Senior.
Reusing Old Stones
- The south wall of the church is made from stone taken from St Mary's.
- This wall also includes old Mediaeval (Middle Ages) windows. These windows are arranged differently than they were in the original St Mary's church.
- The other walls of the church are made of brick.
- The south wall also has a Gothic window from the 1800s.
- There is a brick clock tower. It sits above a small chapel. This chapel is used for services during the week.
Inside the Church
- You enter the church through a doorway from the late 1100s.
- Inside, the church has a wide main area called a nave.
- It also has two narrow side areas called aisles.
- The south arcade (a row of arches) is from St Mary's church. Some parts of it are from around 1200, and other parts are from the late 1200s.
- Above the altar, there is an iron cross. This cross includes a carved stone from the Anglo-Saxon period (a very long time ago!).
- Other Saxon carved stones are also found in the church. Most of these are pieces of old crosses. They are built into the pulpit (where the preacher stands) and the walls.
- The York Civic Trust once said that these reused parts were "all the interesting parts" of the old St Mary's church.
Why This Church Is Important
The Holy Redeemer Church is recognized as a very important building.
A Top Modern Building
A well-known expert named Nikolaus Pevsner once said that this church was "probably the best post-war building in the city" of York. This means he thought it was the best building constructed in York after World War II.
Listed Building Status
In 1998, the church was given a special status. It was listed as Grade II listed. This means it is a building of special historical or architectural interest. It helps protect the church for future generations.
