St. Patrick's Church, Jurby facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Patrick's Church
St Patrick's Church, Jurby, Isle of Man
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Location	Jurby, Isle of Man
Country	Isle of Man
Denomination	Church of England
History
Dedicated	1829
Architecture
Years built	1813 – 1829
Administration
Diocese	Diocese of Sodor and Man

Archdeacon Andie Brown, the Rev. William Mackay, Bishop Peter Eagles

St Patrick's Church is a special church found in Jurby, a parish on the northwest coast of the Isle of Man. It belongs to the Church of England. From the church, you can often see Scotland and Ireland across the Irish Sea. You can also see down the west coast to Peel, across the flat northern part of the island, and to the hills in the middle.

A Look Back: The Church's History

How Old is St Patrick's Church?

The very first church in Jurby was a small chapel built around the 8th century. This was many hundreds of years ago! It was located a short distance south-west of where the current church stands. Later, in the 12th century, a medieval church was built to replace this old chapel.

Building the Current Church

By the early 1800s, the old church was too small for the growing community. So, on June 12, 1812, the people of Jurby asked the Crown (the government) for permission to build a bigger church. They wanted a church with a central walkway and 36 rows of seats on each side. Each row would hold eight people.

Work on the new church, which is the St Patrick's Church we see today, began in 1813. It took many years to build, finally being finished in 1829.

Viking Connections

Inside St Patrick's Church, you can find some amazing old Viking carved crosses and gravestones. One famous one is called the Sigurd Cross. The churchyard, which is the area around the church, also has an ancient Norse burial mound. These show how long people have lived and worshipped in this area!

Why is the Church's Location Special?

The church is built on slightly higher ground. This gives it fantastic views! You can look out over the Irish Sea towards both Ireland and Scotland. You can also see south-west towards Peel, across the northern flat lands of the island, and to the central hills.

War Graves at Jurby

The churchyard is also home to several war graves. These are for soldiers from Britain, the Commonwealth, and Poland. Many of these brave people died at the nearby RAF Jurby training base during World War II. Members of the Special Operations Executive (SOE), a secret organization during the war, were also based in Jurby.

New Leadership for the Church

On November 8, 2019, a new leader, the Rev'd William Mackay, became the Minister for Jurby Church and Community. He had previously worked in the Parish of the Northern Plain. This change was part of a new plan for Jurby. Rev'd Mackay's first service in his new role was the Remembrance Service at St Patrick's on November 10, 2019.

Images for kids

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  The grave of RAF Jurby Station Commander; Group Captain Francis Worthington

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  View towards the altar in St Patrick's Church

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  Some of the military graves of service personnel based at RAF Jurby

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  The ensigns of RAF Jurby and RAF Jurby Head

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  One of the Viking Crosses (J.G.Cumming, 1857)

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  Aerial view of St Patrick's Church, Jurby