West Park United Reformed Church, Harrogate facts for kids

Quick facts for kids West Park United Reformed Church, Harrogate
West Park United Reformed Church, Harrogate
West Park United Reformed Church, Harrogate Location in North Yorkshire Show map of North Yorkshire West Park United Reformed Church, Harrogate Location in England Show map of England
53°59′27″N 1°32′26″W / 53.9907°N 1.5405°W / 53.9907; -1.5405
Denomination	United Reformed
Website	www.harrogatewestparkurc.org.uk

The West Park United Reformed Church is a special building in Harrogate, England. It is a Grade II listed building, which means it's important and protected. The church was designed by architects Lockwood & Mawson. It was finished in 1862 and cost about £5,000 to build.

It was originally called West Park Congregational Church. It was built for people visiting Harrogate, especially those arriving by train. The church became a United Reformed Church in 1972. Many important people have been connected to the church. Sir Francis Crossley helped start the building. Even Tsarina Alexandra of Russia once worshipped here.

The church has a large pipe organ and a bell in its tower. Look closely at the tower's gargoyles; they have little chicks carved below them! On the south wall, you can see twelve carved heads of famous historical figures. These include Isaac Watts, John Bunyan, John Milton and Oliver Cromwell.

History of West Park Church

Building the Church

Before this church, people who were not part of the main Church of England (called Nonconformists) met in homes. Later, they built smaller chapels. By 1859, their chapel on James Street was too small for everyone.

So, they decided to build a bigger church. This new church, finished in 1862, was designed to be seen from all over Harrogate. It was built near the new railway station. This station brought many visitors to the town. Developers wanted to make the area fancy, so they planned for churches and grand homes. West Park Church was given a prime spot. It was designed to hold 700 people.

In 1894 and 1911, Tsarina Alexandra of Russia visited Harrogate. She chose to worship at this church. In 1972, the church changed its name to West Park United Reformed Church. This happened when different church groups joined together.

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  Original building with two front doors and two pinnacles, 1862

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  Church still has one pinnacle, 1900–1914

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  One front door (moved to tower) and no pinnacle, 2020

Laying the Foundation Stone

Work on the church began before the official foundation stone was laid. This happened on 14 August 1861. A large crowd of people from Harrogate came to watch. Frank Crossley MP, a Member of Parliament, laid the stone.

A special bottle was placed under the stone. It was like a time capsule! It held documents, newspapers, and coins from that time. After the ceremony, people gathered for a feast. They also raised money for the church. They had raised about half of the £5,000 needed.

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  Francis Crossley MP

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  Rev. George William Conder

Church Opening Day

The church officially opened on 13 August 1862. It was so full that extra seats were needed! Many important Nonconformist leaders from Yorkshire were there. Reverend Thomas Raffles gave a powerful speech. This helped raise more money for the church.

Even after selling their old chapel, the church still needed £1,500. The important guests helped by giving money and promising more. The evening service also collected more funds.

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  John Crossley MP

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  William Scholefield MP

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  John Greenwood MP

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  Henry Francis Lockwood, architect

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  Rev. Thomas Raffles

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  John Peele Clapham JP

About the Church Building

Outside the Church

The church is built from strong stone. It has buttresses and pairs of gargoyles. The tower has a very elegant spire, which is about 130 feet (40 meters) tall. The style is called Decorated Gothic.

Originally, the church had three main doors. Now, the main entrance is in the tower. The west side of the building has a large window. On the south side, there are twelve sculpted heads of historical figures. These include Isaac Watts, John Bunyan, John Milton and Oliver Cromwell. The roof is covered with special fishtail slates.

In 1999, a ramp was added outside for wheelchair access. In 2000, floodlights were installed to light up the church at night.

Heads on South Wall

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  John Bunyan

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  John Calvin

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  Oliver Cromwell

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  Philip Doddridge

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  John Dryden

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  Thomas Fairfax

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  John Locke

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  Andrew Marvell

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  John Milton

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  Joseph Priestley

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  Isaac Watts

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  Charles Wesley

Inside the Church

The main room inside is large, about 72 by 44 feet (22 by 13 meters). It is 38.5 feet (11.7 meters) high. This shape helps the sound travel well. The roof is held up by iron columns.

The church has three memorials from the First World War. These include two stained glass windows. There are also plaques for John Peel Clapham, who helped build the church, and the first minister, Rev. John H. Gavin.

The church has been updated a lot. In 1993, the pulpit was moved. The Communion table was also moved. The organ was rebuilt at this time. Old rooms were turned into new toilets and meeting spaces. In 1994, the school rooms were updated. In 1999, the floors were changed to make it easier for everyone to move around.

The inside of the church was split into two levels. Now there's an upstairs hall with a stage and kitchen. In 2002, this space was fully updated. It was named the West Park Hall in 2003. Between 2012 and 2014, the heating was fixed. The main area was also updated, and the old pews were removed.

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  False hammer beam roof

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  Gallery staircase

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  Cast iron column

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  Binns organ

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  Carving on organ arch

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  Gallery with original pews

Organ and Bell

The church's first organ was installed in 1869. The current organ was built in 1894 by James Jepson Binns. It was brought from another church in Northampton in 1993.

There is one bell in the tower. It was made in 1812. The bell was originally from an older church. When that church was taken down, the bell was moved to the new West Park Church. As of 2020, the bell is still rung on Sundays.

Stained Glass Windows

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  Cross family, 1929

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  David, ca.1921

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  Good Samaritan, 1960s

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  David, 1928

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  Angel, ca.1921

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  Children, 1940s

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  Possible portrait of Clayra Reason, 1901

Church Leaders

First Minister: Rev. John Henry Gavin

Gavin memorial, in the nave

Gravestone of John Henry and Mary Gavin

The first minister at West Park Congregational Church was John Henry Gavin. He was born around 1831. He started working at the church in 1863. Reverend Gavin was very well-liked by everyone. He died in 1868 at the age of 38 from tuberculosis.

His funeral was very large, with many people following his coffin. A special memorial plaque was placed inside the church for him. After his death, his wife, Mary Gavin, opened a boarding school to support her children.

Later Ministers

Many other ministers have served the church over the years. Hewlett E. Coltman was the minister when the church became West Park URC Church in 1970. More recently, Reverend John Campbell was the minister from 2011 to 2017. As of 2019, the church is run by its Elders and guest ministers.

Recent Events and Community Work

In August 2012, the church celebrated two big milestones. It was 150 years since the building opened. It was also 40 years since the church joined the United Reformed Church. They had a special meal, a flower festival, and a celebration service. Even a Spitfire plane flew over!

The church often helps different charities. In 2017, they supported Baby Basics. This charity helps new mothers. Donations from the church's services and coffee shop went to Baby Basics.

In August 2019, the church hosted a Songs of Praise event. This was part of the International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival. In September 2019, the finish line for the UCI Road World Championships was right outside the church. The building was used for press conferences, which helped the church raise money.

The church has a coffee shop called Stray View Coffee Shop. It's usually open on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday mornings. However, it was temporarily closed during the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020. Since 2005, the coffee shop has supported about 40 charities. These include charities helping people overseas and local groups like the Harrogate Homeless Project. The church also has its own magazine called The Messenger.

Original 1862 Carvings

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  Capitals and label stop by William Ingle

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  Gargoyle and chick, by William Ingle

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  Romanesque capital, by Charles Mawer

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  Spandrel, by William Ingle