St Helen's Church, Stonegate, York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Helen’s Church, Stonegate, York |
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St Helen’s Church, Stonegate, York
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| 53°57′37.79″N 1°5′0.69″W / 53.9604972°N 1.0835250°W | |
| 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.
Contents
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.
