St Peter's Church, Huddersfield facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Peter's Church
Huddersfield Parish Church
53°38′50″N 1°46′51″W / 53.6472°N 1.7809°W / 53.6472; -1.7809
OS grid reference	SE1457816771
Location	Huddersfield, Kirklees
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Churchmanship	Anglo-Catholic
History
Status	Parish church
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II*
Designated	3 March 1952
Architect(s)	James Pigott Pritchett
Style	Gothic revival
Completed	27 October 1836
Construction cost	£10,000
Administration
Deanery	Huddersfield
Archdeaconry	Archdeaconry of Halifax
Episcopal area	Huddersfield Episcopal Area
Diocese	Diocese of Leeds
Province	Province of York

St Peter's Church, also known as Huddersfield Parish Church, is a special Church of England building in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. People have worshipped on this spot since the 11th century. The church building you see today was finished in 1836. It is located in the town centre on Kirkgate, close to Southgate. This church is so important that it is a Grade II* listed building, which means it's protected for its historical and architectural value.

History of St Peter's Church

The story of St Peter's Church goes way back. Legend says the very first church here was built in the 11th century. A man named Walter de Lacy, who was the second son of Ilbert de Lacy, decided to build it. He made this promise after he survived a scary fall from his horse into a swamp.

Building Changes Over Time

The church was rebuilt in the 16th century. Later, from 1759 to 1771, a famous vicar named Henry Venn served the church.

By the early 1800s, Huddersfield was growing very fast. This was because of the Industrial Revolution, which brought many new people to the town. The old parish church became too small for everyone. To help with this, Holy Trinity Church opened in 1819. It started as a smaller church connected to St Peter's. Later, in 1857, it became its own parish church.

In the 1830s, the 16th-century church needed a lot of urgent repairs. So, people decided to rebuild it again. The architect for this new building was James Pigott Pritchett. Construction happened between 1834 and 1836. To save money, bricks from the old church were used. However, this meant more repairs were needed later because the materials weren't the best.

Improvements and Repairs

Over the years, many additions and repairs were made to the church:

• Two octagonal (eight-sided) rooms called vestries were added at the east end. One was built by 1851, and another for the choir was added in 1879.
• Beautiful windows designed by Thomas Willement were put in during 1852.
• In 1866, people noticed the church's stone needed fixing.
• New pews (church benches) and a pulpit (where the preacher stands) were installed in 1873.
• A new organ was put in by a local company, Conacher and Co, in 1908. It was later fixed up in 1984.
• Arthur Eaglefield Hull was the church organist from 1904 to 1920.

From 1921 to 1923, the sanctuary area was changed. A special canopy called a baldachin and a new east window were added. These were designed by Ninian Comper as a memorial to those who served in the war. In the 1940s, the south transept (a part of the church that sticks out) was redesigned. A screen made by Robert Thompson was added. In the 1980s, a new altar and raised platform (dais) were put in. Around 2012, the roof, ceiling, and tower were repaired. Other important fixes were also made, with help from a grant from English Heritage.

Special Events at the Church

St Peter's Church has been the location for some memorable events:

• On June 17, 1965, Olympic athletes Anita Lonsbrough (a swimmer) and Hugh Porter (a track cyclist) got married here.
• On February 17, 2017, the funeral of Gorden Kaye took place at the church. He was a famous TV actor from Huddersfield, known for his role in 'Allo 'Allo!.

Visiting St Peter's Church

St Peter's Church is open to visitors and for services.

Opening Times

• On weekdays (Monday to Friday), the church is open from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
• On Saturdays, it's open from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

Services and Worship

• During the week, there's a short prayer service on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 12:35 PM.
• On Wednesdays at 12:35 PM, there's a Midweek Holy Communion service in a smaller side chapel.
• On Sundays, there are two services:
  • A communion service using the Book of Common Prayer at 8:30 AM.
  • A Sung Eucharist (a service with singing) at 10:00 AM.

Evening Services

• Choral Evensong (an evening service with a choir) is held every second Sunday at 6:30 PM during school terms.
• Every fourth Sunday at 6:30 PM, there are different services:
  • 'Holy Ground' is a more relaxed and thoughtful service.
  • 'Rainbow Eucharist' is a special service that welcomes and supports the LGBTQIA+ community. This is part of the Inclusive Church network.

Many of the services, including the 10 AM Sung Eucharist, Choral Evensong, Rainbow Eucharist, and some special services, are also streamed live on the Parish Church YouTube channel. This means people can watch them from home!

Gallery

• 

  The church in 1904

• 

  Interior in 1906

See also

• Grade II* listed buildings in Kirklees
• Listed buildings in Huddersfield (Newsome Ward - central area)
• Diocese of Leeds