Church of St Michael and All Angels, Beckwithshaw
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The Church of St Michael and All Angels,
Beckwithshaw Beckwithshaw is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England about south-west of Harrogate. History Beckwithshaw takes its name from the now smaller settlement of Beckwith, to the east. The suffix "shaw" ...
,
North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is the largest ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county (lieutenancy area) in England, covering an area of . Around 40% of the county is covered by National parks of the United Kingdom, national parks, including most of ...
, England, also known as Beckwithshaw Church, is an
Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...
church built and furnished between 1886 and 1887 by
William Swinden Barber William Swinden Barber FRIBA (29 March 1832 – 26 November 1908), also W. S. Barber or W. Swinden Barber, was an English Gothic Revival and Arts and Crafts architect, specialising in modest but finely furnished Anglican churches, often with ...
in the
Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...
style as part of the Arts and Crafts movement. The stained glass windows in the same style were added in 1892. The church is
listed Listed may refer to: * Listed, Bornholm, a fishing village on the Danish island of Bornholm * Listed (MMM program), a television show on MuchMoreMusic * Endangered species in biology * Listed building, in architecture, designation of a historicall ...
as a Grade II historic structure; it is a pristine and unchanged example of an Arts and Crafts church retaining all its original furnishings, apart from one missing statue. However, in 2018 the church officers gained planning permission for changes which included removing all of the original pews. The first vicar of this church, from 1887 to 1894, was Charles Farrar Forster.''The York Herald'', 1 September 1894: Death of the Rev. C.F. Forster, vicar of Beckwithshaw''Huddersfield Chronicle'' 18 September 1894: The late Rev. C.F. Forster


Location

When the church was built in the late 19th century, Beckwithshaw was a little
hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
, about two and a half miles from
Harrogate Harrogate ( ) is a spa town and the administrative centre of the Borough of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England. Historic counties of England, Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, the town is a tourist destination and its visitor at ...
, and its ecclesiastical district had to be carved from
Pannal Pannal is a village in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is situated to the immediate south of Harrogate. Since 2016 it has formed part of the new civil parish of Panna ...
parish. In 1886 the view was described thus:
"In the immense sweep of country which meets the view from the higher grounds lying between Harrogate and Otley and which, beautiful as it is, conveys an idea of loneliness to the mind from the very few habitations that are seen, the eye rests with a sense of relief upon the newly-erected edifice at Beckwithshaw."''
The Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer ''The Yorkshire Post'' is a daily broadsheet newspaper, published in Leeds in Yorkshire, England. It primarily covers stories from Yorkshire although its masthead carries the slogan "Yorkshire's National Newspaper". It was previously owned by ...
'', 1886
However, in January and February 1885 there had been an outbreak of
scarlet fever Scarlet fever, also known as Scarlatina, is an infectious disease caused by ''Streptococcus pyogenes'' a Group A streptococcus (GAS). The infection is a type of Group A streptococcal infection (Group A strep). It most commonly affects childr ...
, and the school was closed for at least six weeks. As of 2014 Beckwithshaw is a small
village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...
.


Funding, design and construction


Donors

Dr Henry Williams and his wife lived at Moor Park House, built in 1859 in Beckwithshaw, and acquired by them in 1882.Laminated history sheet for visitors at Beckwithshaw Church: ''St Michael and All Angels: a brief history of the church'' The household and estate, expanded in 1882, employed many local people until the late 1970s when Harrison Developments of
Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...
bought the buildings and converted them into flats. The church was built "entirely at their own expense."''
The Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer ''The Yorkshire Post'' is a daily broadsheet newspaper, published in Leeds in Yorkshire, England. It primarily covers stories from Yorkshire although its masthead carries the slogan "Yorkshire's National Newspaper". It was previously owned by ...
'' 30 September 1886: "Church consecrations by the Bishop of Ripon: Beckwithshaw"
They funded the building at £8,000, with an endowment of £5,000. Mrs Williams insisted that there should be no graveyard at the church site, and a contemporary local tendency to fear of the subject may have some bearing on this decision. Arabella Elizabeth Tetley, a Beckwithshaw schoolmaster's wife, died of
puerperal fever Postpartum infections, also known as childbed fever and puerperal fever, are any bacterial infections of the female reproductive tract following childbirth or miscarriage. Signs and symptoms usually include a fever greater than , chills, lower ab ...
at age 23 years and was buried at
Woodhouse Cemetery The Leeds General Cemetery (also known as Woodhouse Cemetery, Woodhouse Lane Cemetery and, since its closure in 1969, St George's Fields) is a former cemetery in Woodhouse, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is now within the campus of the Un ...
on Friday 17 April 1888. However gravedigger Fred Posey thought he saw "an upheaval of the earth which he had placed upon the coffin and heard a creak which led him to believe that the buried woman was alive and trying to wrench the lid away." He raised the alarm, saying that he had heard "rattling" in the coffin, and a "knocking such as I never heard afore in a grave" in 42 years of gravedigging. There was an
exhumation Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...
and an
inquest An inquest is a judicial inquiry in common law jurisdictions, particularly one held to determine the cause of a person's death. Conducted by a judge, jury, or government official, an inquest may or may not require an autopsy carried out by a coro ...
which ruled that there had been no disturbance within the coffin, so that the verdict was "
natural causes In many legal jurisdictions, the manner of death is a determination, typically made by the coroner, medical examiner, police, or similar officials, and recorded as a vital statistic. Within the United States and the United Kingdom, a distinct ...
."


Architect

The architect was William Swinden Barber, FRIBA (fl.1855–1898) of Halifax. His
listed Listed may refer to: * Listed, Bornholm, a fishing village on the Danish island of Bornholm * Listed (MMM program), a television show on MuchMoreMusic * Endangered species in biology * Listed building, in architecture, designation of a historicall ...
works include at least fifteen other buildings, mostly Anglican, Neo-Gothic, Arts and Crafts churches within West Yorkshire. Barber designed and commissioned all interior decoration and furnishings for his buildings.


Builder

The contractor for the work was James Simpson (1825–1891) of Harrogate. In 1881 he was aged 56 and living at 22 Parliament Terrace, Harrogate, near Bettys, with his wife Ellen aged 53, and his son David aged 21, a
stonemason Stonemasonry or stonecraft is the creation of buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone as the primary material. It is one of the oldest activities and professions in human history. Many of the long-lasting, ancient shelters, temples, mo ...
. He and his son were born in Harrogate; his wife was born at
Burniston Burniston is a village and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated about four miles north of Scarborough itself, on the A171 road. According to the 2011 UK census Burniston parish had a populati ...
near
Scarborough Scarborough or Scarboro may refer to: People * Scarborough (surname) * Earl of Scarbrough Places Australia * Scarborough, Western Australia, suburb of Perth * Scarborough, New South Wales, suburb of Wollongong * Scarborough, Queensland, su ...
. He was an Alderman whose daughter died in 1890 by falling from a railway carriage at Starbeck, and Simpson won £100 damages for negligence from the North Eastern Railway Company.


History

Before this church was built, the congregation had to travel to the Church of All Saints, Harlow Hill, and then to a local school room for services. The foundation stone for this church was laid on 29 September 1884. The day was the
feast day The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context d ...
of St Michael and Mrs Williams' birthday.


Consecration in 1886

The church was completed in 1886 and it was dedicated and consecrated by Mrs Williams' uncle, The Bishop of Ripon, at
Michaelmas Michaelmas ( ; also known as the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, the Feast of the Archangels, or the Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels) is a Christian festival observed in some Western liturgical calendars on 29 September, a ...
, Thursday 29 September. (On the afternoon of the same day, the bishop consecrated another church also dedicated to St Michael and All Angels at Cottingley, near
Bingley Bingley is a market town and civil parish in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, on the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, which had a population of 18,294 at the 2011 Census. Bingley railwa ...
.) The church was filled, although Beckwithshaw was at that time just a hamlet with a few surrounding farmhouses. There was a grand procession into the church, headed by the robed choir. Behind them came the churchwardens, one of which was Henry Williams the donor, then the Bishop of Ripon in full vestments. Behind them followed many robed clergymen, including Samuel Owen Madden the
Dean of Cork Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral ( ga, Ardeaglais Naomh Fionnbarra) is a Gothic Revival three-spire Church of Ireland cathedral in the city of Cork. It is located on the south bank of the River Lee and dedicated to Finbarr of Cork, patron saint of ...
, Henry Stewart the
Dean of Dromore The Dean of Dromore has responsibility for Dromore Cathedral in the Diocese of Down and Dromore in the Church of Ireland. Deans of Dromore *1693/4 Isaac Plume *1609 William Todd *1621 Thomas Wilson *1622 John Wall *1623 Robert Dawson *1628/9 W ...
, Rev. Canon William Winter Gibbon, MA, vicar of Christ Church, High Harrogate, Rev. Dr A. Buck of St Mary's Church, Stainburn, Rev. Mark Rowntree, MA, of St Robert's Church, Pannal, Rev. G.O. Brownrigg, MA, vicar of St Mary's Harrogate, Rev. R.G. Brownrigg of St Mary's, Harrogate, Rev. A. Robinson of St John the Evangelist Church, Bilton, Rev. T.F. Buckton of Christ Church, High Harrogate, and Rev. H. Kershaw of St Mary's Church, Greenhow Hill. Gibbon, Rowntree and Buck conducted the service, because the church did not yet have its own vicar. The organ was not yet installed, so a Miss Burnley played a harmonium, which may at that time have been placed within the organ arch. The choir was made up of local residents who had been trained by the new choirmaster, Mr Halliwell. The bishop preached the sermon, after which there was a collection amounting to £11 13s., for the Wakefield Bishopric Fund.


Jubilee in 1936

The
jubilee A jubilee is a particular anniversary of an event, usually denoting the 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, and the 70th anniversary. The term is often now used to denote the celebrations associated with the reign of a monarch after a milestone number of y ...
of the church's consecration was celebrated on the evening of 30 September 1936, with a special service conducted by the Rev. H.R. Stott who had served as vicar of the parish for the preceding forty-two years. The
Bishop of Ripon The Bishop of Ripon is an episcopal title which takes its name after the city of Ripon in North Yorkshire, England. The bishop is one of the area bishops of the Diocese of Leeds in the Province of York. The area bishop of Ripon has oversight o ...
gave the sermon. By this time Mr and Mrs Henry Williams of Moor Park had died, but in the intervening years since funding the building and endowing the vicar's living, they had given a vicarage, the church furnishings, and the village institute. Since their deaths, their relatives had made more "substantial gifts" to the church and increased the value of the
benefice A benefice () or living is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The Roman Empire used the Latin term as a benefit to an individual from the Empire for services rendered. Its use was adopted by ...
. In the same year the church fabric and the organ were renovated at a total cost of £360.


Building

This structure is fairly similar to its medieval parish church, St Robert's Church, Pannal, with a few exceptions: the tower is attached to the south-west side of the church, and it has a purpose-built organ chamber and vestry which St Robert's does not. It is built of local sandstone from
Killinghall Killinghall is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. The civil parish population taken at the 2011 census was 4,132. The village is situated approximately north of Harrogate, extending south from t ...
quarry. It was described by the ''York Herald'' as a "substantial structure, well furnished in the interior, and in every respect suitable as a parish church." However the donors did not want an elaborate building in this countryside location, but settled on a "neat, plain and substantial structure." The building is in pristine condition and remains exactly as it was built and furnished on the day of its consecration in 1886, except for a missing statue described as a "group of
St Michael Michael (; he, מִיכָאֵל, lit=Who is like El od, translit=Mīḵāʾēl; el, Μιχαήλ, translit=Mikhaḗl; la, Michahel; ar, ميخائيل ، مِيكَالَ ، ميكائيل, translit=Mīkāʾīl, Mīkāl, Mīkhāʾīl), also ...
overcoming the Dragon, placed between the west windows of the nave."


Tower

The exterior shape of the tower is similar to the 15th to 16th century tower of St Robert's Church, Pannal, except that this one has an exterior staircase to the ringer's chamber and belfry. The main western entrance to the church is through the tower, so the ground floor doubles as entrance lobby. There is no public access to the tower.


Bells

There is no public access to the bellringers' chamber, the belfry or the tower roof. In the tower's bell chamber there are six bells, variously described as "nicely-toned" and "richly-toned," which have been hung for
full circle ringing Full circle ringing is a technique of ringing a tower bell such that it swings in a complete circle from mouth upwards to mouth upwards and then back again repetitively. Technique Full-circle tower bell ringing in England developed in the ea ...
.''Leeds Mercury'' 30 September 1886: Consecration of a new church by the Bishop of Ripon They were cast at the
Whitechapel Bell Foundry The Whitechapel Bell Foundry was a business in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. At the time of the closure of its Whitechapel premises, it was the oldest manufacturing company in Great Britain. The bell foundry primarily made church bells a ...
in 1886. The name of the company, Mears and Stainbank, is cast into the bells, along with the names of Henry and Ellen Williams the donors, and their children. The diameters of the bells, from smallest to tenor, are: (1) Joshua 28.25in., (2) John 30.75in., (3) Annie 33.25in., (4) Mary 34.75in., (5) Ellen 37in. and (6) Henry 42.75in. The round is D#, C#, B, A#, G#, F#. The tenor bell weighs .RiponandLeedsBells.co.uk: Beckwithshaw St Michael and All Angels
Retrieved 28 January 2014
In the bell chamber is a wooden frame consisting of two tiers of three bells each. 1, 3 and 5 hang above 2, 4 and 6, such that 1 is above 2; 3 is above 4; 5 is above 6, putting the heavier bells upon one side, that is, the west side. They are hung thus: "each bell hangs from its original wooden headstock though a restoration has seen the fitting of independent crown staples and ball bearings. The third has an SG clapper whilst those of the others are wrought iron. Traditional stays and sliders." The reality in the bell-chamber is a very small and roughly-finished room, only partially protected from gales by louvred, unglazed windows on all sides. A massive and braced hardwood frame fills the room completely from west to east. The frame is over high and is smooth and polished to the touch. On the south and north sides there are narrow squeeze spaces of about between the frame and the wall. There is no aid to access to the top of the frame. The wheels of the top tier of bells project above the frame. The frame exactly fits the room, and the bells exactly fit the frame, but only because their wheels are arranged in different directions to allow fit. Access to the roof would require a slim and agile climber who would then climb a ladder, and from the ladder lift and slide with one hand a very heavy insulated trapdoor. The trapdoor is weatherproofed by being shaped to overhang the lips on which it is seated. The survival of the frame and consequently the safety of the bells depends on the condition of this trapdoor and the roof. It is likely that the tower's floors were installed after hanging the bells: the frame could then be built in place, the bells winched from the floor of the tower, and the floors would then be put in. Winching the bells up through the tower would require a massive beam across the tower roof to support the pulley; no such beam exists now. There is a bell-ringing group which practises on Mondays at 6.30 pm; Ann McGeogh is tower bell captain.StRoberts.co.uk: Bell ringing at Beckwithshaw
Retrieved 28 January 2014
Beckwithshaw Today: Who's who photos
Retrieved 28 January 2014


Nave

The interior of the building is lined with dressed local stone, and was designed for a congregation of 120 to 150. The pulpit and font were carved by William Pashley in 1886 in Caen stone.Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII online database 2011: William Pashley
Retrieved 31 January 2014
At the time of consecration in 1886, there was a carved statue "placed between the west windows of the nave," described as a "group of St Michael overcoming the Dragon." This statue is now missing. To be able to stand between the west windows it would have to be at least on a pedestal, because the windows are from the floor. The name of the artist is unknown, but it may have been carved by William Pashley of Harrogate and Leeds, who also carved some roundels in
Leeds Minster Leeds Minster, or the Minster and Parish Church of Saint Peter-at-Leeds (formerly Leeds Parish Church) is the minster (church), minster church of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It stands on the site of the oldest church in the city and is of ar ...
.


Chancel

There is a
Caen stone Caen stone (french: Pierre de Caen) is a light creamy-yellow Jurassic limestone quarried in north-western France near the city of Caen. The limestone is a fine grained oolitic limestone formed in shallow water lagoons in the Bathonian Age about ...
reredos by William Pashley, with "sculptured panels under moulded and crocketted canopies, the walls on either side being enriched with traceried panels. The subjects being presented on the
reredos A reredos ( , , ) is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a church. It often includes religious images. The term ''reredos'' may also be used for similar structures, if elaborate, in secular architecture, for ex ...
, which is a beautiful work of art, are ''Bearing the Cross'', the ''Crucifixion'', and ''The Resurrection''." "The choir stalls and nave seats are of oak and have sunk traceried panels and foliated ends. The altar-rail, gas standards and rich scroll-work supporting the pulpit rail are of wrought brass. The aisles and chancel floors are paved with
tiles Tiles are usually thin, square or rectangular coverings manufactured from hard-wearing material such as ceramic, stone, metal, baked clay, or even glass. They are generally fixed in place in an array to cover roofs, floors, walls, edges, or o ...
in simple patterns."


Organ

On Tuesday 20 December 1887, just over a year after the church's dedication, a new organ built by
Father Willis Henry Willis (27 April 1821 – 11 February 1901), also known as "Father" Willis, was an English organ player and builder, who is regarded as the foremost organ builder of the Victorian era. His company Henry Willis & Sons remains in busin ...
of Messrs Willis and Sons of London was installed as a further gift by Mrs Williams.''
York Herald York Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an officer of arms at the College of Arms. The first York Herald is believed to have been an officer to Edmund of Langley, Duke of York around the year 1385, but the first completely reliable reference to such a ...
'', 24 December 1887: Organ opening at Beckwithshaw, Harrogate
The organ was not an afterthought. It is housed in a lean-to structure against the north wall of the
chancel In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may terminate in an apse. Ove ...
, and its manuals and
pipes Pipe(s), PIPE(S) or piping may refer to: Objects * Pipe (fluid conveyance), a hollow cylinder following certain dimension rules ** Piping, the use of pipes in industry * Smoking pipe ** Tobacco pipe * Half-pipe and quarter pipe, semi-circula ...
peer through a specially-cut arch in that same north wall; all this was part of the original design. The lean-to is comfortably blended into the exterior design, and the organ fits neatly into the arch, flush with the wall and sitting close enough to the
choir stalls A choir, also sometimes called quire, is the area of a church or cathedral that provides seating for the clergy and church choir. It is in the western part of the chancel, between the nave and the sanctuary, which houses the altar and Church tab ...
to be used by the
choirmaster A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which ...
in rehearsals. It was described as a "very fine instrument . . . contained in a handsome oak case with spotted metal pipes." It has two manuals from CC to G with 56 notes, and 2.5 octaves of concave and radiating
pedals A pedal (from the Latin '' pes'' ''pedis'', "foot") is a lever designed to be operated by foot and may refer to: Computers and other equipment * Footmouse, a foot-operated computer mouse * In medical transcription, a pedal is used to control p ...
from CCC to F: 30 notes. The stops are the original ones, as follows:
"Great Organ: 1 open diapason 8ft; 2 dulcians 8ft; 3 claribel flute 8ft; 4 flute harmonique 4ft; 5 principal 4ft; 6 fifteenth 2ft; 7 corno-de-bassetto 8ft; Swell: 8 open diapason 8ft; 9 lieblich
gedackt Gedackt (also spelled gedeckt) is the name of a family of stops in pipe organ building. They are one of the most common types of organ flue pipe. The name stems from the Middle High German word ''gedact'', meaning "capped" or "covered". History ...
8ft; 10 salicional 8ft; 11 vox angelica 8ft; 12 gemshorn 4ft; 13
flageolet The flageolet is a woodwind instrument and a member of the fipple flute family which includes recorders and tin whistles. Its invention was erroneously ascribed to the 16th-century Sieur Juvigny in 1581. There are two basic forms of the instrume ...
2ft; 14 cornopean 8ft. Pedals: 15 soubasse 16ft; 16 bourdon 16ft. Couplers: 17 swell to great; 18 swell to pedals; 19 great to pedals. Three composition pedals to great organ."''
York Herald York Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an officer of arms at the College of Arms. The first York Herald is believed to have been an officer to Edmund of Langley, Duke of York around the year 1385, but the first completely reliable reference to such a ...
'', 24 December 1887
The Bishop of Ripon returned for the organ's opening day, along with the church's vicar Rev. Charles Farrar Forster and Rev. Mark Rowntree, vicar of
Pannal Pannal is a village in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is situated to the immediate south of Harrogate. Since 2016 it has formed part of the new civil parish of Panna ...
, who read the lesson. As of 2014 the organist was Nigel Duce, who gives regular recitals at
Halifax Minster Halifax Minster is the minster church of Halifax, Calderdale, West Yorkshire, England. The church is dedicated to St John the Baptist. Formerly the parish church of the town, it was granted minster status in 2009. Halifax Minster is one of t ...
.


Windows and carvings

When the window
tracery Tracery is an architecture, architectural device by which windows (or screens, panels, and vaults) are divided into sections of various proportions by stone ''bars'' or ''ribs'' of Molding (decorative), moulding. Most commonly, it refers to the s ...
and the carving of the
reredos A reredos ( , , ) is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a church. It often includes religious images. The term ''reredos'' may also be used for similar structures, if elaborate, in secular architecture, for ex ...
,
pulpit A pulpit is a raised stand for preachers in a Christian church. The origin of the word is the Latin ''pulpitum'' (platform or staging). The traditional pulpit is raised well above the surrounding floor for audibility and visibility, access ...
and
font In metal typesetting, a font is a particular size, weight and style of a typeface. Each font is a matched set of type, with a piece (a "sort") for each glyph. A typeface consists of a range of such fonts that shared an overall design. In mod ...
were created in 1889, they were intended to imitate the style of the mid 14th century in keeping with the
Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...
movement. The east window, installed in 1886, depicts St Michael and all Angels, the Nativity and the
Adoration of the Magi The Adoration of the Magi or Adoration of the Kings is the name traditionally given to the subject in the Nativity of Jesus in art in which the three Magi, represented as kings, especially in the West, having found Jesus by following a star, ...
in
stained glass Stained glass is coloured glass as a material or works created from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant religious buildings. Although tradition ...
, drawn and painted by
Charles Eamer Kempe Charles Eamer Kempe (29 June 1837 – 29 April 1907) was a British Victorian era designer and manufacturer of stained glass. His studios produced over 4,000 windows and also designs for altars and altar frontals, furniture and furnishings, lichg ...
. The two lights of the west window, also installed in 1886, show archangels
Gabriel In Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam), Gabriel (); Greek: grc, Γαβριήλ, translit=Gabriḗl, label=none; Latin: ''Gabriel''; Coptic: cop, Ⲅⲁⲃⲣⲓⲏⲗ, translit=Gabriêl, label=none; Amharic: am, ገብር ...
,
Uriel Uriel or Auriel ( he, אוּרִיאֵל ''ʾŪrīʾēl'', " El/God is my flame"; el, Οὐριήλ ''Oúriēl''; cop, ⲟⲩⲣⲓⲏⲗ ''Ouriēl''; it, Uriele; Geʽez and Amharic: or ) is the name of one of the archangels who is mentio ...
,
Michael Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name "Michael" * Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian an ...
and
Raphael Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael (; or ; March 28 or April 6, 1483April 6, 1520), was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. List of works by Raphael, His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of ...
. On Sunday 26 June 1892, five new
stained glass Stained glass is coloured glass as a material or works created from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant religious buildings. Although tradition ...
windows, also by Kempe, were dedicated at a special service with a choir and large congregation. The vicar of
Luddenden Luddenden is a district of Calderdale west of Halifax on the Luddenden Brook in the county of West Yorkshire, England. History The name means Ludd valley, or valley of the loud stream and refers to the Luddenden Brook. An alternative meanin ...
gave the sermon, the Rev. C.F. Forster, vicar of St Michael's, read the prayers, and Mr G.H. Wood was organist. The windows had been presented by Henry Williams of Moor Park, John Dugdale and Master J. Appleyard-Williams. the subject for the images is taken from '' Revelations'': St John's visions in the Isle of
Patmos Patmos ( el, Πάτμος, ) is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea. It is famous as the location where John of Patmos received the visions found in the Book of Revelation of the New Testament, and where the book was written. One of the northernmos ...
.''York Herald'' 28 June 1892: Harrogate, dedication service at Beckwithshaw Church
"The south-east window represents St John viewing the great city, holy
Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
, which is depicted in the distance, with the
river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...
flowing from the
Throne of God The Throne of God is the reigning centre of God in the Abrahamic religions: primarily Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The throne is said by various holy books to reside beyond the Seventh Heaven which is called ''Araboth'' ( ''‘ărāḇōṯ' ...
, and on either side of the river is the
Tree of Life The tree of life is a fundamental archetype in many of the world's mythological, religious, and philosophical traditions. It is closely related to the concept of the sacred tree.Giovino, Mariana (2007). ''The Assyrian Sacred Tree: A History ...
. Standing opposite to St John is an angel with a golden reed with which to measure the city and the gates and the walls thereof. In the other window on the south side St John is represented as falling at the feet of the angel on the bank of the River of Life, the tree being in the midst. He is in the attitude of prayer, but the angel with the uplifted hand is repelling any worship or reverence to himself . . . Each window has two lights and on the north side each light has a separate subject. The first light of the north-west window portrays the angel with his right foot on the sea and the left on the earth. In his hand is a little book containing the message he was about to deliver. The second light depicts the angel with the key of the Bottomless Pit in one hand and a great chain in the other. Laid at his feet is the
Dragon A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
whom he has subdued and whom he is about to cast into the Bottomless Pit. The subjects of the two lights of the north-east window are borrowed from ''Revelations'' XIV.19 and XVIII.21. The first delineates the angel standing outside the city wall and with a
sickle A sickle, bagging hook, reaping-hook or grasshook is a single-handed agricultural tool designed with variously curved blades and typically used for harvesting, or reaping, grain crops or cutting succulent forage chiefly for feeding livestock, ei ...
cutting a cluster of grapes to cast into the
winepress A winepress is a device used to extract juice from crushed grapes during wine making. There are a number of different styles of presses that are used by wine makers but their overall functionality is the same. Each style of press exerts control ...
of the Wrath of God. The second illustrates the angel holding in his hand the great
millstone Millstones or mill stones are stones used in gristmills, for grinding wheat or other grains. They are sometimes referred to as grindstones or grinding stones. Millstones come in pairs: a convex stationary base known as the ''bedstone'' and ...
which he is about to cast into the sea . . . The first light of the centre window is an illustration of ''Revelations'' VIII.13 which describes the Apostle's vision of an angel flying through the midst of heaven, uttering a solemn proclamation of coming woes. The second light represents another angel standing before the Golden
Altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in paga ...
upon which he is offering incense. Suspended above is a golden
censer A censer, incense burner, perfume burner or pastille burner is a vessel made for burning incense or perfume in some solid form. They vary greatly in size, form, and material of construction, and have been in use since ancient times throughout t ...
to which a long chain is attached and held by the angel."''Pannal Parish Magazine'', August 1892


Vicars of Beckwithshaw

Past clergy are listed on a memorial board at the back of the church.


First vicar

The first vicar who served from 1887 to 1894 was Rev. Charles Farrar Forster (1848–1894), a man fragile of body who had suffered
heart disease Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. CVD includes coronary artery diseases (CAD) such as angina and myocardial infarction (commonly known as a heart attack). Other CVDs include stroke, hea ...
and excruciating pain for some years, and who had transferred his service from the busy St Andrew's in
Huddersfield Huddersfield is a market town in the Kirklees district in West Yorkshire, England. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Kirklees district. The town is in the foothills of the Pennines. The River Holme's confluence into ...
to this quiet parish in the hope of improving his failing health. He was said to be "a most assiduous and energetic parish worker, and . . . an able and interesting preacher." He was concerned with the welfare of the church, he was a member of the Pannal
School Board A board of education, school committee or school board is the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or an equivalent institution. The elected council determines the educational policy in a small regional are ...
, and was a
fellow A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...
of the
Royal Geographical Society The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), often shortened to RGS, is a learned society and professional body for geography based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical scien ...
. His funeral, interment and memorial services were well-attended by crowds of family, friends and his congregation. He is buried at Harlow Hill Cemetery, in Section A. When new, his grave would have been very noticeable; its cross, pedestal and surrounds being made of strongly-figured black and white marble. Weathering has now hidden the marble pattern, except for the unweathered section on the pedestal, where the cross has been removed by the council for safety reasons.


Subsequent vicars

Rev. Herbert R. Stott followed, serving from 1894 to 1945. His wife was Mrs C.F. Stott. Their son Philip Harle Stott had a promising future, having been a prefect and head boy of St. Bees School, and an exhibitioner of
Merton College, Oxford Merton College (in full: The House or College of Scholars of Merton in the University of Oxford) is one of the Colleges of Oxford University, constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the ...
, but was killed in
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
on 25 April 1918. He was a
second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...
of the 4th Battalion, attached to the 1st and 5th Battalions of the
West Yorkshire Regiment ) , march = ''Ça Ira'' , battles = Namur FontenoyFalkirk Culloden Brandywine , anniversaries = Imphal (22 June) The West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own) (14th Foot) was ...
. He is named on the
Tyne Cot Tyne Cot Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery and Memorial to the Missing is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) burial ground for the dead of the First World War in the Ypres Salient on the Western Front. It is the largest cemetery for Common ...
and Beckwithshaw memorials. After Stott came Rev. John Akam from 1945 to 1951, and Rev. Arthur Moss from 1952 to 1958. From 1958 to 1964 it was Rev. Basil Skinner, and from 1964 to 1970, Rev. Idwal Jenkins. Rev. Bernard Brown held the post from 1970 to 1979.


Vicars of Pannal and Beckwithshaw

In 1978, John T. Scott became vicar of Pannal, and from 13 November 1980 to the end of his tenure in 1989 Pannal and Beckwithshaw shared Scott as vicar in a joint benefice. The same arrangement has continued to the present day. Rev. Mark Beresford-Peirse was in office from 1990 to 2002. Nigel Sinclair was vicar from 2002 to 2013, followed by Rev. John Smith who was installed on 20 January 2014.


Gallery

File:DW Wynfield WILLIAM SWINDEN BARBER.jpg, William Swinden Barber, architect File:Moor Park Beckwithshaw.jpg, Moor Park, from 1882 home of the Williams family who funded the church File:Beckwithshaw Church 059.jpg, World War I war memorial in nave File:Beckwithshaw Church 071.jpg, Resurrection scene from reredos, by William Pashley File:Beckwithshaw Church 074.jpg, Encaustic tiles on chancel floor File:Beckwithshaw Church 056.jpg, Font by William Pashley File:Beckwithshaw Church 066.jpg, Pulpit by William Pashley File:Beckwithshaw Church 082.jpg, Original church door File:Beckwithshaw Church 23 Feb 2014 002.jpg, West wall of church, site of missing 1886 large stone statue of St Michael overcoming the Dragon Beckwithshaw Church 076.jpg, Pew end designed and commissioned by Barber


Events


Services and regular events

There are four regular Sunday services per month, conducted by the vicar of both Pannal and Beckwithshaw: Rev. John Smith as of 2014. Three are morning services; one is evensong. There is a junior church for children during the morning services during school term time. There is a pram service on the 4th Thursday of each month.


Reordering

In May 2018, the church officers gained planning permission to restyle the church building with a modern annexe against the north wall, containing a kitchen and toilet. The permission includes the removal of all the pews, which were designed by the architect William Swinden Barber. The ultimate destination of the pews is not known.


References


External links


The Church of England: Beckwithshaw, St Michael and All Angels, Harrogate
Retrieved 28 January 2014. Go to "find us" tab, then the link "View the map with boundary in Google Maps" to see Beckwithshaw parish boundary.
St Roberts Church, Pannal, and St Michael and All Angels, Beckwithshaw. PCC statement 2013
* Further research: (From ad in ''The Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer'', 21 October 1886): The ''Yorkshire Weekly Post'', Sat 23 October was to contain the following. Church work in Yorkshire (with views), the new church at Beckwithshaw near Harrogate, Cottingley Church. {{Portal bar, Christianity, Yorkshire Arts and Crafts architecture in England Gothic Revival church buildings in England
Beckwithshaw Beckwithshaw is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England about south-west of Harrogate. History Beckwithshaw takes its name from the now smaller settlement of Beckwith, to the east. The suffix "shaw" ...
Churches completed in 1886 William Swinden Barber buildings
Beckwithshaw Beckwithshaw is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England about south-west of Harrogate. History Beckwithshaw takes its name from the now smaller settlement of Beckwith, to the east. The suffix "shaw" ...