St Mary's Church, Whitkirk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church |
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| Church of Saint Mary | |
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| 53°47′50″N 1°26′59″W / 53.7973°N 1.4497°W | |
| OS grid reference | SE364335 |
| Location | Whitkirk, Leeds, West Yorkshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Status | Parish Church |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed building |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Whitkirk |
| Archdeaconry | Leeds |
| Diocese | Leeds |
| Province | York |
St Mary's Church in Whitkirk, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, is an active Anglican parish church. It's part of the Diocese of Leeds. This means it's a local church where people gather for worship and community activities.
Contents
The Church's Story
A church has stood on this very spot since at least 1185! The building you see today was mostly built in the 1400s. It had a big refresh between 1855 and 1856. Later, in 1901, the chancel (the part of the church near the altar) was rebuilt by an architect named G. F. Bodley. The church stayed pretty much the same until 1990 when some changes were made inside. Because of its long history and special design, St Mary's Church was officially recognized as a Grade I listed building on September 26, 1963. This means it's a very important historical building in England.
What the Church Looks Like
Outside the Church
The church has a tall tower at the west end. This tower has strong supports called buttresses and decorative stone points called obelisk pinnacles. There's also a belfry with two windows where the bells are kept, and a spire covered in lead. The main part of the church, called the nave, has heavy walls with decorative tops called parapets.
You'll also see a special gate called a lychgate. This lychgate was officially opened on June 26, 1949. It serves as a memorial to remember those who died in the two World Wars. It was listed as a Grade II building in 1976. Interesting fact: stones from famous places like St. Paul’s Cathedral, Coventry Cathedral, St Martin-le-Grand Church in York, Leeds Town Hall, and Leeds Museum were used to build this lychgate!
Inside the Church
Inside, the church has a short nave, which is the main area where people sit. It has octagonal (eight-sided) pillars supporting the roof. You can find the tomb of Sir Robert Scargill and his wife here. Their statues, called effigies, are made of alabaster and lie on top of the tomb. On the north side of the chancel, there is also a tomb for the famous engineer John Smeaton.
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A view of the church interior
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One of the church's windows
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The tomb of Sir Robert Scargill
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The church organ
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The Hammer beam roof structure
More to Explore
- List of places of worship in the City of Leeds
- Grade I listed churches in West Yorkshire
- Listed buildings in Leeds (Temple Newsam Ward)
