St James’ Church, Cross Roads near Haworth in West Yorkshire has received a grant of £103,500 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for its roof repair project, it has been announced. The project aims to restore and repair the roofs of the one hundred year old parish church and at the same time make its unique Grade II heritage available to a wider audience.
The Rector of Cross Roads, the Revd Peter Mayo Smith, said work will start later this year It is intended that the work will start later this year. “We are delighted to receive this grant. It validates the huge local effort that has gone into securing the long term future of this vital building for our community.”
St James’ was opened on the 1st October 1910 to serve the growing population of Cross Roads Cum Lees. Besides providing services of worship, St James’ Church regularly stages concerts, community events and supports local groups who use the Church hall regularly.
Now, thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund, the project will restore St James Church’s roofs so that it can continue to serve its community through the twenty first century.
St James’ works closely with Lees Primary School; who will be involved in the exploration of the church’s heritage and will contribute to the new website.
Fiona Spiers, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund, Yorkshire and the Humber said, “There is a place of worship in almost every ward, village and town across the Yorkshire and Humber region, providing a very powerful visual connection with our past.
“This award to St James’ Church, Cross Roads will ensure essential repairs are carried out, and the local school and community are able to get involved and learn about the stories and heritage of the building, helping to create a sustainable future for the church. “
About St James’
St James’ was built in 1910 to replace the old Tin Church that served the rapidly expanding community of Cross Roads Cum Lees. It became a parish in its own right a few years later. In 2015 it became part of the United Benefice of Haworth and Cross Road Cum Lees. St James’ is in regular use on Sundays and with mid-week services as well as being used by local organizations.