The Church of St Helen is a

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britai ...

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...

St Helen Auckland St Helen Auckland is a village in County Durham, in England. It is south-west of Bishop Auckland Bishop Auckland () is a market town and civil parish at the confluence of the River Wear and the River Gaunless in County Durham, northern Engla ...

, County Durham. It is a

Grade I listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

History

The church dates to the late 12th century and early 13th century. The oldest surviving part of the church, the two easternmost bays of the

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

, were built in 1120. A low-pitched roof was added when the roof was rebuilt in the 15th century. At the turn of the 16th century, a clerestory and

battlements A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet (i.e., a defensive low wall between chest-height and head-height), in which gaps or indentations, which are often rectangular, occur at interva ...

were built. The original door to the church remains, making it "one of the oldest doors in England". On 21 April 1952, the church was designated a

grade I listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

. In 2001, a restoration of the church took place. This involved renewing the floor, replacing the fixed pews with new movable ones,

limewash Whitewash, or calcimine, kalsomine, calsomine, or lime paint is a type of paint made from slaked lime (calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)2) or chalk calcium carbonate, (CaCO3), sometimes known as "whiting". Various other additives are sometimes used. ...

ing the walls, and repointing masonry. It cost £170,000.

Present day

The

Parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one o ...

of St. Helen Auckland is part of the Archdeaconry of Auckland in the

Diocese of Durham The Diocese of Durham is a Church of England diocese, based in Durham, and covering the historic county of Durham (and therefore including the part of Tyne and Wear south of the River Tyne, and excluding southern Teesdale). It was created in ...

. The parish stands in the

Traditional Catholic A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays o ...

tradition A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...

of the Church of England. As the parish rejects the ordination of women, it receives

alternative episcopal oversight A provincial episcopal visitor (PEV), popularly known as a flying bishop, is a Church of England bishop assigned to minister to many of the clergy, laity and parishes who on grounds of theological conviction, "are unable to receive the ministry of ...

from the

Bishop of Beverley The Bishop of Beverley is a Church of England suffragan bishop. The title takes its name after the town of Beverley in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The suffragan bishop was originally to assist the Archbishop of York in overseeing ...

(currently Stephen Race), and it is affiliated with The Society.

Gallery

St Helen's church notice - geograph.org.uk - 252643.jpg , Noticeboard St Helen Auckland church porch - geograph.org.uk - 252637.jpg , Entrance

References

External links

Church website

A Church Near You entry
{{DEFAULTSORT:St Helen Auckland, Saint Helen Grade I listed churches in County Durham Church of England church buildings in County Durham 12th-century church buildings in England Anglo-Catholic church buildings in County Durham Anglo-Catholic churches in England receiving AEO