St Crux Church, York facts for kids
St Crux is a special building in York, England. It used to be a church, but now it's a parish hall. It still has parts of the old medieval church inside.
Contents
History of St Crux
Where is St Crux Located?
St Crux is located on a street called Pavement in York. You can enter it from The Shambles, and it's also near Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate.
A Long History of the Church
The church of St Crux was first mentioned in a very old book called the Domesday Book. This book was like a big survey of England made almost 1,000 years ago! Back then, St Crux belonged to a powerful person called the Count of Mortain. Later, it became part of St Mary's Abbey, which was a large monastery.
The church was rebuilt between 1402 and 1424. When they rebuilt it, they even put an old stone carving from Saxon times into the north wall. The church's tower was rebuilt again starting in 1697. A writer named Francis Drake said the new tower, which looked Italian, was "a handsome new steeple of brick coined with stone".
Why the Church Was Demolished
Even though St Crux was considered one of the most beautiful churches in York, it started to fall apart by the 1800s. It was closed in 1880 because it was in such poor condition. Soon after, its parish (the area it served) joined with All Saints' Church.
In 1884, there were plans to fix the church. However, it was decided to tear it down instead, which happened three years later in 1887. Many people, including the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, were against this. Even though the tower was in bad shape, it was so strong that they had to use dynamite to bring it down! The Press newspaper has called St Crux "perhaps the most famous" lost church in York.
The Parish Hall Today
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In 1888, a new building called a parish hall was built on the same spot where St Crux church used to be. They were clever and reused many materials from the old church. This included a lot of its north wall and a beautiful window from the east side.
Inside the parish hall, you can still see many monuments and fixtures that were once in the old church. Important people buried there include Thomas Percy, 7th Earl of Northumberland, Sir Thomas Herbert, and two former Lord Mayors of York: Thomas Bowes and Robert Welles.
The building was given a special protection status in 1954, meaning it is a very important historical building. Today, it is used as a tea room where people can relax and have a drink. It also hosts charity markets, helping good causes.
