St Wilfrid's Church, Halton, Leeds facts for kids
St Wilfrid's Church is a unique church located in Halton, a part of the city of Leeds in England. It was built between 1937 and 1939 and is famous for its very unusual design. The church is considered an important historic building.
A Special Church for Halton
In the 1930s, the area of Halton was growing. A new church was needed for the community. The land for the church, located on a spot called Halton Hill, was a gift from a nobleman named Viscount Halifax.
The money to build the church, which cost £11,700, was donated by a generous man named Sir John Priestman. The first stone of the building, called the foundation stone, was officially put in place on November 6, 1937.
The church was designed by an architect named Albert Randall Wells. He had some very creative ideas that made St Wilfrid's look different from other churches built at the time.
A Mix of Old and New Styles
St Wilfrid's Church is special because its design is a mix of different architectural styles. An architectural style is like a set of rules or ideas for how a building should look.
- Arts and Crafts Style: This style focused on simple, natural materials and high-quality, handmade work.
- Modernism: This was a new style in the 1930s that used modern materials like concrete and had clean, simple shapes.
The church also has features inspired by much older churches. For example, the windows are shaped like triangles at the top. This is a detail from the Early English Gothic style, which was popular hundreds of years ago.
Inside, the church has a curved ceiling made of concrete. One expert, Nikolaus Pevsner, said the ceiling's powerful shapes were similar to a style called German Expressionism, which was not common in England.
Art and Furniture Inside
The architect, Randall Wells, didn't just design the building. He also designed many of the original items inside, known as fittings.
The church also features artwork by the famous artist and sculptor Eric Gill. The wooden benches where people sit were made by Edward Gardiner. He was a skilled craftsman who once worked with another famous furniture maker, Ernest Gimson.
Because of its unique design and historic importance, St Wilfrid's is a "Grade II* listed" building. This means it is officially recognized as a particularly important building of more than special interest and is protected by law.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in West Yorkshire
- Listed buildings in Leeds (Temple Newsam Ward)
