St Bartholomew's Church, Armley Explained

St Bartholomew's Church, Armley
Coordinates:53.7946°N -1.587°W
Osgraw:SE 27301 33209
Location:Leeds
Country:England
Denomination:Church of England
Churchmanship:Anglo-Catholic
Website:www.stbartsarmley.org.uk
Dedication:St. Bartholomew
Consecrated Date:1877
Heritage Designation:Grade II* listed building
Architect:Henry Walker and Joseph Althron
Architectural Type:Perpendicular Gothic
Completed Date:1872
Construction Cost:£20,000 (£ in)
Length:57m
Width:18m
Height:34m
Spire Height:57m
Materials:Horsforth sandstone
Parish:Armley with New Wortley
Deanery:Armley
Archdeaconry:Leeds
Episcopalarea:Leeds
Diocese:Leeds
Province:York
Priestincharge:Interregnum

St Bartholomew's Church, Armley is a parish church in the Church of England in Armley, West Yorkshire. The church is one of two Church of England churches in Armley; the other being Christ Church. Worship at St Bartholomew's is firmly rooted in the Anglo-Catholic tradition of the Church of England with a solemn mass being celebrated weekly.

History

The first chapel at Armley was built in 1630 but not consecrated by Richard Sterne, Archbishop of York, until 1674. In 1737 it was extended to the north, the roof was raised and a small balcony was added at the west end.

In 1825 the chapel was much enlarged through the benevolence of Benjamin Gott, a local industrial businessman with woollen mills in Leeds.

A new church was built starting in 1872 to designs by the architects Henry Walker and Joseph Althron of Leeds, and is now a Grade II* listed building. It was consecrated in 1877 but the tower was not dedicated until 1904. The church is constructed of Horsforth sandstone. The old chapel was demolished in 1909.

List of vicars

Features

The Caen stone reredos erected in 1877 has alabaster carvings, representing the Magi, crucifixion and Old Testament figures. John Wormald Appleyard was present at the consecration on 24 August 1877, listed alongside the architects Henry Walker and Joseph Athron who designed the building and reredos. Since no other stone carver is credited for this work, it is reasonable to suppose that it could be the work of Appleyard.[14]

The pulpit is of alabaster and marble, designed by architect Thomas Armfield after the pulpit at the shrine of Sebaldus in St. Sebaldus Church, Nuremberg.[15] It was carved originally by Mawer and Ingle for the former St Bartholomew's Church, on the occasion of its 1861 restoration, then moved along with the font and the old tomb memorials to the new building after the consecration.[16] [17] [18]

There is a sculpture by Joseph Gott at the west end of the north aisle, a memorial to Benjamin Gott of Armley House who died in 1839. In the south aisle there is Faith comforting the Mourner, commemorating the two sons of Benjamin and Elizabeth Gott who died in Paris and Athens. Benjamin Gott's son William Gott was interred in the family vault in the former St Bartholomew's Church.[19]

Organ

The church is perhaps best known for its organ. It was built by the German builder Edmund Schulze.[20] It was originally installed in Meanwood Towers in 1869. In 1877 it was inaugurated in St. Peter's Church, Harrogate. Following a dispute with the vicar, the organ was installed in St. Bartholomew's in 1879. It was rebuilt in 1905 by James Jepson Binns and other restoration work took place in 1956 by Hill, Norman and Beard, 1974 by John T. Jackson and Son and 2004 by Harrison & Harrison.

The organ has been awarded a Grade II* listing by the British Institute of Organ Studies for organs which are good representatives of the work of their builder, in substantially original condition.

A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.[21]

Organists

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Clergy of the Church of England Database: George Metcalfe. 7 February 2021.
  2. Web site: Clergy of the Church of England Database: Richard Fawcett. 7 February 2021.
  3. Web site: Clergy of the Church of England Database: Thomas Barber. 7 February 2021.
  4. https://books.google.com/books?id=mmsdAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA326 The Gentleman's Magazine (London, England), Volume 184, p.326
  5. See also references to him as incumbent of Armley in 1828,Pigot and co.'s national commercial directory for 1828-9, comprising a directory of the merchants, bankers, professional gentleman [&c.] in the counties of Cheshire, Cumberland. Reference to Rev Charles Clapham and 1842.The Freemasons' quarterly review 1842, reference to Rev Charles Clapham
  6. Web site: Church Times: "Clerical Obituary", 27 April 1906, p 558. 7 February 2021.
  7. Crockford's Clerical Directory, 1973–74, 85th Edition, p 508.
  8. Web site: Obituary: Prebendary Norry McCurry – People – News – The Independent. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-prebendary-norry-mccurry-1494005.html . 24 May 2022 . subscription . live. 25 June 1993 . independent.co.uk. 26 September 2014.
  9. Web site: Crockford's Clerical Directory: Canon Owen Arnott Conway. 7 February 2021.
  10. Web site: Crockford's Clerical Directory: The Revd Richard George Nicholas Plant. 7 February 2021.
  11. Web site: Crockford's Clerical Directory: The Revd Ian Wrigh. 7 February 2021.
  12. Web site: Crockford's Clerical Directory: The Revd Ian Wright. 7 February 2021.
  13. Web site: Crockford's Clerical Directory: Canon Michael Frank Wood. 7 February 2021.
  14. News: Consecration of St Bartholomew's Church, Armley . 28 August 2020 . Leeds Mercury . British Newspaper Archive . 25 August 1877 . 12 col.5.
  15. News: St Bartholomew's Church, Armley . 28 August 2020 . Leeds Mercury . British Newspaper Archive . 24 August 1877 . 3 col.6.
  16. News: Foundation of a church at Armley . 28 August 2020 . Leeds Mercury . British Newspaper Archive . 2 April 1872 . 8 col.4.
  17. News: Armley Church . British Newspaper Archive . Leeds Times . 28 December 1861 . 5 col.4 . 27 August 2020 .
  18. News: Re-decoration of Armley Church . British Newspaper Archive . Bradford Observer . 2 January 1862 . 5 col.5 . 30 January 2020.
  19. News: At the Parish Church, Leeds . 27 June 2021 . Leeds Intelligencer . British Newspaper Archive . subscription . 5 September 1863 . 8 col.1.
  20. The organ: a guide to its construction, history, usage and music. David Baker, Osprey Publishing, 2003
  21. https://www.npor.org.uk/ National Pipe organ Register
  22. Dictionary of Organs and Organists. Frederick W. Thornsby