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 is a historic church located in Whitkirk, a part of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is an active Anglican church, meaning it belongs to the Church of England. This church serves the local community as a parish church, a place where people gather for worship and community events.
Contents
History of St Mary's Church
A church has stood on this spot since at least 1185, which is a very long time ago! The church building you see today mostly dates back to the 15th century. Imagine, it's over 500 years old!
Over the years, the church has been updated and repaired. It had a big restoration project between 1855 and 1856. Later, in 1901, a famous architect named G. F. Bodley rebuilt the chancel, which is the part of the church near the altar.
The church was recognized as a very important historical building on September 26, 1963. It was given a special status called Grade I listed building. This means it's considered to be of exceptional national interest.
Architectural Features
St Mary's Church has many interesting parts that show its long history and unique design.
Outside the Church
The church has a tall tower on its western side. This tower features strong diagonal supports called buttresses and decorative pointed tops known as obelisk pinnacles. It also has a belfry with two windows where the church bells are housed. Topping the tower is a spire covered in lead, reaching towards the sky.
The main part of the church, called the nave, has strong walls with decorative tops called parapets. You'll also see a special gate at the entrance called a lychgate. This lychgate was officially opened on June 26, 1949. It serves as a memorial to honor those who died in the two World Wars.
Interestingly, parts of the lychgate were built using stones from other famous buildings. These include St. Paul’s Cathedral and Coventry Cathedral, both in London, as well as St Martin-le-Grand Church in York, Leeds Town Hall, and Leeds Museum. This mix of stones makes the lychgate even more special.
Inside the Church
Inside, St Mary's Church has a relatively short nave with thick, eight-sided pillars. One of the most notable features is the tomb of Sir Robert Scargill and his wife. Their figures, made from alabaster, lie on top of the tomb.
On the north side of the chancel, there is another important tomb. This one belongs to the famous engineer John Smeaton. He was a very important person in engineering history.
Images for kids
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A view of the church's interior.
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A beautiful stained glass window inside the church.
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The tomb of Sir Robert Scargill and his wife.
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The church organ, used for music during services.
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The impressive Hammer beam roof structure.
