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Churches of the British Isles

Gallery: Churches of the City of York

by Peter Kessler, 9 January 2011

Central York Part 10: Churches of Fulford, Clementhorpe & Holgate

Fulford Methodist Church

Fulford Methodist Church is on the eastern side of Main Street, almost opposite Fenwick's Lane in Fulford, directly south of the centre of York. A Methodist society was formed here in 1799. Houses were registered in 1797, 1802, 1808, 1809, 1817, and 1825, and a room in 1829, most if not all for use by the Methodists. A Wesleyan chapel was built in 1820 in Back (later School) Lane. This was replaced by the present chapel on the main street in 1845, which was rebuilt in 1896.

St Oswald's (New) Church Fulford

St Oswald's (New) Church Fulford is at the south-east corner of Main Street and St Aidan's Court. The Battle of Fulford was fought nearby in 1066 against the invading Norwegian king, Harald Hadrada. This was about a century before the Old Church (below) was built. The new, stone church replaced the old one in 1866. It consists of an aisled chancel, with north and south chapels, an aisled and clerestoried nave, transepts, and south-west tower, originally with a spire.

St Oswald's (Old) Church Fulford

St Oswald's (Old) Church Fulford is situated at the western end of St Oswald's Lane, on the corner with Love Lane. Saxon church remains were found here but the present chapel was built around 1150, with chancel, nave, and west tower, and belonged to St Mary's Abbey. Its first concrete mention is in 1349, when the churchyard was used for plague victims. It spent much of its life as a chapelry to St Olave Marygate, but it was closed in the 1970s and is now a private house.

The Parish Church of St Chad on the Knavesmire

The Parish Church of St Chad on the Knavesmire stands on the northern side of Campleshon Road, midway between Lorne Street and Albermarle Road. South Bank Avenue Mission Room was opened in 1925-1926, and was consecrated as a chapel of ease on 9 October 1926. The building survives, although its use is unknown. It lies on the southern side of the avenue, midway between the junction with Brunswick Street and the alleys which meet Ovington Terrace.

The Parish Church of St Chad on the Knavesmire

In 1928 the parish of St Chad was constituted as a Consolidated Chapelry out of the southern portion of St Mary's parish. The church was built in brick throughout and comprises a 'nave' which was originally intended to be the chancel. It consists of three bays and a Lady Chapel at the east end. The present structure represents only half the original plan. Many features were left uncompleted due to the high costs (over £10,000). The architect was W H Brierley of York.

Southlands Methodist Church

Southlands Methodist Church is at the north-west corner of Southlands Road and Bishopthorpe Road. It began in 1887 in a butcher's shop on Adelaide Street. Funds given by two other Methodist churches allowed the present site to be purchased, with the old windmill at the top of this hill being removed. The church was built in the same year, in white Walling Fen brick with twin towers on either side of an ornamental window. In 2007 the interior was modernised.

St Clements Clementhorpe

St Clements Clementhorpe is situated inside the fork of Scarcroft Road and Nunthorpe Road. This area of the city was known as Clementhorpe in 1070, indicating that the church already existed here. In 1130 it certainly existed, as an integral part of the Benedictine Nunnery of St Clement founded by Archbishop Thurstan. The church became parochial at the Dissolution, but was allowed to become a ruin after about 1590. The present church was built in 1872-1874.

The Catholic Church of the English Martyrs

The Catholic Church of the English Martyrs is on the northern side of Dalton Terrace, about sixty metres south of Holgate Road. It began as a hired room in St Mary's Court, off Blossom Street, in 1882-1889. Then the church moved to 17 Blossom Street, occupying the upper story of a school building. In 1932 the present church was completed. It is a brick building with a pantiled roof, and tower surmounted by a cross. The windows contain ornamental leaded lights.

The Church of St Paul Holgate

The Church of St Paul Holgate is at the north-east corner of Holgate Road and Watson Street. The church was built in 1851 for the growing population in this district of York. Consecrated on 3 January 1856, in the same month it was assigned a Particular District. The church is stone-built in the Early English style, by architects J B and W Atkinson of York. Poppleton Road Mission Room, on the northern side of the road, to the west of the church, was demolished in 2003.

Holgate Methodist Church

Holgate Methodist Church lies on the south-east corner of Acomb Road and New Lane. Around 1872, the Wesleyan Wilton Street Mission was built in red brick with white brick ornamentation in Wilton Street (now part of Wilton Rise). The Holgate Chapel opened on 14 September 1910 and Wilton Street Chapel was sold to the Railwaymen's Mission. In 1955 it was used by the Salvation Army. The replacement chapel, built in red brick with a gable, seats 350 persons.

All photos on this page kindly contributed by Colin Hinson.

 

 

     
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