St Wilfrid's Church, Harrogate facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Wilfrid's Church |
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The church in 2003
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| OS grid reference | SE 29412 55554 |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Traditional Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Dedication | St Wilfrid of Ripon |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed |
| Designated | 4 February 1975 |
| Architect(s) | Temple Moore |
| Years built | 1904– |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St. Wilfrid, Harrogate |
| Deanery | Harrogate |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Richmond and Craven |
| Episcopal area | Ripon |
| Diocese | Diocese of Leeds |
| Province | Province of York |
St Wilfrid's Church in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, is a very important Anglican church. It's the only building in Harrogate that has a special "Grade I listed" status. This means it's considered a building of exceptional historical and architectural interest. A famous architect named Temple Moore designed it. It's also one of the largest parish churches in England!
Contents
History of St Wilfrid's Church
The building of St Wilfrid's Church began in 1904. This was possible because of a generous gift of money from the Bishop of Ripon. This gift helped get official permission to create the new church area of St Wilfrid in Harrogate. At first, people thought the church would cost about £24,000 to build.
Early Construction and Dedication
The first parts of the church to be finished were the Nave (the main part where people sit) and the Baptistry (where baptisms happen). These parts cost £11,000. They were officially opened on January 4, 1908, by the Bishop of Knaresborough.
Two sisters, Elizabeth Sophia and Jean Trotter, gave large donations to help finish the church. Their first gift of £10,000 in 1914 helped complete the nave. The church was officially opened and blessed on June 11, 1914, by the Bishop of Ripon. By this time, the original estimated cost of £24,000 had already been spent. Church workers even had to guard the building all night to protect it from Suffragettes, who were women fighting for the right to vote.
Completing the Church Building
The architect, Temple Lushington Moore, passed away in 1920. However, Jean Trotter made another large gift of £32,000 in 1924. This money allowed the completion of the north and south transepts. Transepts are the parts of a cross-shaped church that stick out on the sides.
Temple Moore's son-in-law, Leslie Moore, finished this work in 1927. In 1928, the church's large organ was put in the north transept. The organ and the transepts were officially dedicated on July 18, 1928.
In 1932, William Gunn left £9,000 in his will. This money helped build the church hall. The hall has a special "lamella roof," which is a unique type of roof structure. It's the only one of its kind in the United Kingdom!
In 1935, Sir William Nicholson, a master builder, generously helped build the Lady Chapel. This is a smaller chapel often dedicated to the Virgin Mary. His company built it for £10,000. The Calvary, a sculpture showing Jesus on the cross, was created by Alfred Southwick. While much of the later work on the church followed Temple Moore's original ideas, Leslie Moore's design for the Lady Chapel was quite different from what his father-in-law had planned.
Music at St Wilfrid's
St Wilfrid's Church has a long history of excellent music. Since the church was first opened, there has always been a choir. In 2015, a Music Foundation was started to help improve the music programs and facilities.
Church Organ
The large Harrison and Harrison organ is located in the north transept. It was put in place in 1928 when that part of the church was finished. The basic design of the organ came from a sketch by Temple Moore from 1912. Leslie Moore and Harry Harrison made a few small changes.
Because there wasn't enough money at the time, the organ didn't get a proper outer case. Arthur Harrison carefully tuned the instrument, and it's one of the best examples of his work that is still in good condition. Because of its importance, the organ has a special "Grade II*-listing" from the British Institute of Organ Studies.
In 1928, some parts of the organ couldn't be installed due to a lack of funds. Over the years, people have worked to complete the organ. Additions were made in 1942, 1968, 1972, 1982, and 2011. There are currently plans to restore the organ even further.
Church Bells
St Wilfrid's Church has eight bells in its central tower. These bells are used for "change-ringing," which is a special way of ringing bells in a changing pattern. The six heaviest bells were installed in 1973. They came from older bells from High Hoyland. The largest bell, called the "tenor," weighs about 6 hundredweight and 3 pounds. It is tuned to the note C. In 1976, two more bells were added, bringing the total to eight in 1977.
There is also a smaller "Sanctus bell" in the South-East tower.
Notable Events
The funeral of David Simpson was held at St Wilfrid's Church on January 17, 1931. David Simpson was a very important person in Harrogate. He was a "freeman of the town" and served as the mayor four times.
See also
