St Mary's Church, Thirsk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Mary |
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| 54°14′06″N 1°20′45″W / 54.2349°N 1.3458°W | |
| Location | Kirkgate, Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 1PR |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Central |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Dedication | St Mary Magdalene |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Style | Perpendicular Gothic |
| Years built | 1430–1480 |
| Specifications | |
| Spire height | 80 feet (24 m) |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Thirsk |
| Deanery | Mowbray |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Cleveland |
| Diocese | Diocese of York |
St Mary's Church, Thirsk is a beautiful old church in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, England. It is a Church of England parish church, which means it serves the local community. The building is very important and is listed as a grade I listed building. This means it has special historical and architectural value.
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History of St Mary's Church
This church was built a long time ago, in the 15th century. That's over 500 years ago!
In 1857, the entrance porch on the south side of the church was rebuilt.
The church got a big makeover in 1877. A famous architect named George Edmund Street led this restoration work. During this time, people found old symbols in the stained glass windows. These included royal arms of England and France, and symbols of important local families.
The church was ready and reopened to everyone on 2 October 1877.
Modern Times at St Mary's
In November 2016, the church looked very special for Remembrance Day. Local volunteers, known as the Thirsk Yarnbombers, decorated the church with over 40,000 handmade poppies. They created a "river" of poppies that flowed from the top of the church down its side and across the cemetery wall. It was an amazing sight!
A famous author, James Herriot (whose real name was Alf Wight), got married at St Mary's. He married Joan Anderson on 5 November 1941. Joan is known as Helen in his popular books, movies, and TV shows.
Parish Connections
St Mary's is part of a group of four churches in the Benefice of Thirsk. This means they work together. The other churches are:
- St Wilfrid's Church in South Kilvington
- St Lawrence's Church in Carlton Miniott
- St Leonard's Church in Sandhutton
The Church Organ
St Mary's has a pipe organ that was first built in 1813 by Andrew Wood. Over the years, it has been repaired and made bigger. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
Church Bells
In 1859, the church tower had four bells. The oldest bell was very old, dating back to 1410. People believed it came from Fountains Abbey. The other three bells were made in 1729, 1775, and 1805.
Between 1857 and 1864, two more bells were added. Then, in 1871, two more were added, making a total of eight bells. Only one of these eight bells has been recast (melted down and reshaped) since then, in 1926.
