St Cross Church, Middleton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Cross |
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| 53°44′37″N 1°32′49″W / 53.7435°N 1.5470°W | |
| Location | Middleton, Leeds |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | Parish of Middleton |
| History | |
| Status | Parish Church |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | F.L.Charlton |
| Completed | 1933 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Concrete frame, Brick faced |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Middleton |
| Deanery | Armley |
| Archdeaconry | Leeds |
| Diocese | Leeds |
| Province | York |
The Church of St Cross is a church located in Middleton, Leeds, England. It is an active Anglican church. This means it belongs to the Church of England. It is part of the Leeds area's church group.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
The area around St Cross Church grew a lot in the 1920s. Many new homes were built by the local council. Because of this, the number of people living there increased a lot. The original church in Middleton, called St Mary's, needed a new, smaller church for the growing community.
Building the Church
In 1925, a temporary wooden church was built. Money for this came from a group called the Leeds Church Extension Society. Later, in 1933, a permanent church was built. This new building was funded by the church district, known as the diocese. St Cross became its own separate church area in July 1935.
A Lost Treasure
When the church's foundation stone was put in place, a special collection of coins from 1933 was buried. This included a very rare 1933 penny. Only seven of these pennies are known to exist. Sadly, this valuable coin was stolen from the church in 1970.
About the Church Building
The church was designed by an architect named F.L. Charlton. He designed it in an "Early Christian" style. The church has a strong frame made of concrete. The outside is covered with brick.
Outside the Church
The church has five sections, called bays. Each bay has narrow, rounded windows. Above these, there's a row of small, closely spaced rounded windows. These are called a clerestory. The church also has a tall bell tower on its northeast side. This tower is 60 feet (about 18 meters) high and holds one bell. It looks a bit like towers you might see in Italy.
Inside the Church
The main part of the church, called the nave, has wide, pointed arches. There are also five sections with rounded arches. The walls inside are smooth and plastered.
Many of the church's special items were designed by F.L. Charlton. These include the altar (the table where services are held), the credence table (a small table for church items), and the lectern (where readings are given). These items were made by a famous craftsman named Robert Thompson. He was known as "Mouseman" Thompson because he carved a tiny mouse onto everything he made. Robert Thompson also created the screens that separate the aisles.
Other parts of the church came from different places. The pulpit (where sermons are given) came from a church in Adel, Leeds. A font (a basin for baptisms) from the 1800s came from Ainderby Steeple. A crucifix (a cross with Jesus on it) was made in Germany and came from a church in Hunslet.
In 1982, some changes were made inside the church. The back two sections were separated to create a parish room and a kitchen. This made the church more useful for community events.
