St Lawrence's Church, York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Lawrence Parish Church, York |
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St Lawrence viewed from Lawrence Street
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| OS grid reference | SE 61203 51258 |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Traditional Anglo-Catholic/Prayer Book Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | St Lawrence |
| Consecrated | Churchyard 12th-century or earlier – new building consecrated 1883 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II listed (with Grade I listed tower and scheduled monuments in churchyard) |
| Designated | Grade I: 14 June 1954, Grade II: 24 June 1983, Scheduled monument: 24 April 2002 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Lawrence with St Nicholas, York |
| Deanery | York Deanery |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of York |
| Diocese | Diocese of York |
| Province | Province of York |
St Lawrence Parish Church is a historic Church of England church in York, England. You can find it on Lawrence Street, located just outside the ancient city walls near Walmgate Bar. It is one of the largest churches in York.
Contents
The Story of St Lawrence's
The church is named after St Lawrence, a famous saint from Rome. The story of this church goes back hundreds of years and involves two different buildings.
The Old Tower
If you visit the churchyard today, you'll see a stone tower standing by itself. This tower is the only part left of the original medieval church. Its doorway and lower section were built in the 12th century, making them over 800 years old! This ancient tower is now looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust to make sure it stays safe.
The oldest gravestones in the churchyard are where the rest of the old church used to be. Some of these belong to important local families from history.
During the Siege of York in the 1600s, the church was badly damaged. It was rebuilt, and some silver and furniture from around 1669 are still used today. In 1719, the famous architect Sir John Vanbrugh got married here on a snowy day.
Special Memorials
The churchyard has some unique monuments. The Rigg Memorial was built in 1830 for six children who tragically died in a boating accident. It features a poem written by James Montgomery. Another is the "medicine pot" memorial from 1820, for a doctor who ran a local charity. The old tower and these monuments are considered so important that they are Grade I listed, meaning they are buildings of exceptional national interest.
A New, Bigger Church
By the 1880s, the old church was too small. So, between 1881 and 1883, it was taken down to make way for a much larger building. The new church is the second-biggest church in York, after the famous York Minster.
A tall spire with a clock was added between 1891 and 1893. The clock was a gift from a local leader, Alderman Robert Fawcett, in memory of his parents.
Amazing Art and Features
Inside the church, you can find many beautiful and interesting things that tell stories from its past.
Stained Glass and Carvings
The church has a lot of beautiful stained glass. The large window at the east end was made by the Knowles family, who were famous glass artists from York.
One of the most unusual windows is a memorial for World War I. It was designed in 1929 and shows scenes from the Somme battlefield, the city of York, and a knight. In 2021, a new window was added to honor the York Normandy Veterans of World War II.
The area around the altar was redesigned after World War II by Robert 'Mousey' Thompson. He was famous for hiding a small carved mouse in his work, so people have fun trying to find it!
The Church Bells
In 1999, to celebrate the new millennium, the church received a set of eight ringing bells. They were made by the famous bell-making company John Taylor & Co. Each bell was given a name based on an old religious house from the area, such as St Helen, St Andrew, and St Laurence.
The Church in Modern Times
St Lawrence's is still a very active church and a center for the local community.
In 2014, a video of the University of York Brass Band playing a fun song in the church became popular online. The church's great sound makes it a popular place for concerts.
The church has seen many improvements recently. In 2020, a large organ from another York church was moved here and restored. The community hall has also been updated. In 2017, the historic Rigg Memorial in the churchyard was restored. The church also got a new heating and lighting system.
The church hosts community events, including the annual York Beer Festival, which uses the church and its hall.
Church Services
St Lawrence's is known for its traditional services, using the historic Book of Common Prayer. It has a choir and holds several services every Sunday.
The current service times are: Sunday
- 08:30—Matins (Morning Prayer)
- 10:15—Sung Mass (the main service with singing)
- 18:30—Choral Evensong (evening prayer sung by the choir)
Wednesday
- 19:00—Holy Hour followed by Mass
Thursday
- 18:30—Said Evensong (a quiet evening prayer)
