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St Helen's Church, Stonegate, York facts for kids

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St Helen’s Church, Stonegate, York
St Helena York 1.jpg
St Helen’s Church, Stonegate, York
53°57′37.79″N 1°5′0.69″W / 53.9604972°N 1.0835250°W / 53.9604972; -1.0835250
Location York
Country England
Denomination Church of England
Churchmanship High church
Website [1]
History
Dedication St Helen
Architecture
Heritage designation Grade II* listed
Administration
Parish St Helen, Stonegate with St Martin, Coney Street
Deanery York
Archdeaconry York
Diocese Diocese of York
Province Province of York

St Helen's Church, Stonegate, York is a special old church located in Stonegate, York. It's part of the Church of England and is considered a very important historical building. It is known as a Grade II* listed building, which means it's protected because of its history and unique architecture.

A Look Back in Time

How Old is the Church?

St Helen's Church is very old, built way back in the 1300s. That's the 14th century! For a short time in 1551, people thought the church was no longer needed. Parts of it were even taken down. But luckily, it survived and was used again later.

Big Changes in the 1800s

Many years later, between 1857 and 1858, the church got a big makeover. A person named W. H. Dykes led this work. The church reopened on September 16, 1858.

During this time, the north, south, and east walls were taken down and rebuilt. The old roof was replaced with a new one. The old pews were removed and replaced with open seating, which made the church feel more spacious.

The chancel, which is the part of the church where the altar is, was also rebuilt. It was made longer by about 3 meters (10 feet). New gas lighting was put in, with fancy brass and iron lamps. The chancel even got a special gas light with 24 small lights.

Later, between 1875 and 1876, the church's tower was rebuilt. This work was done by W. Atkinson from York.

Church Community

Sharing a Parish

St Helen's Church is part of a joint parish. This means it shares its community and some activities with another church nearby, called St Martin le Grand, York.

Remembering People

Memorials Inside the Church

Inside St Helen's Church, you can find special plaques and stones called memorials. These are put up to remember people who have passed away. They often show the person's name and the year they died. Some of the people remembered here include:

  • John Stow (died 1775)
  • William Brooke (died 1789)
  • Ann Acaster (died 1834)
  • Thomas Hartley (died 1808)
  • James Atkinson (died 1839)
  • Ann Atkinson (died 1840)
  • Barbara Davyes (died 1765)
  • Elizabeth Davyes (died 1767)
  • Tobias Conyars (died 1868)
  • Elizabeth Acklam (died 1722)

The Church Organ

Music in the Church

The church has a pipe organ that helps create beautiful music during services. This organ was built by a company called J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd in 1959. You can find more details about this specific organ on the National Pipe Organ Register, which keeps records of organs across the country.

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