Celebrating its centenary in August, the church of St Cuthbert & St Oswald, Winksley, will also be saying a heartfelt thanks to a local landowner who paid for it to be built.
The Grade 2 listed building was the gift of Lady Jane Furness of Grantley Hall (pictured below right) who wanted to provide a memorial to her late husband, Christopher, the first Baron Furness, who had died in 1912. Originally she had offered to pay for a new East Window in his memory, but the old building was in such a poor condition that, instead, she offered to pay for a brand new church to be built. Designed by architects Connon & Chorley of Leeds and built by Messrs Armitage & Hodgson also of Leeds , it was completed and consecrated on 15th August 1917
A series of events between August 5th and 13th will mark the centenary including a pop up café, a talk, a barbecue, Songs of Praise event and displays of photographs.
It is fair to say that no expense was spared on the remarkable and beautiful building. The new church was built from local white sandstone, the floor of the chancel and sanctuary of white Pentlicon marble and the pulpit, chancel wall and font of the finest carved Italian marble. All of the woodwork including the pews was carved oak and the four bells were cast by John Taylor of Loughborough. Some of the stones used from the previous chapel form a continuous link from the new church back to 1502.
The centenary celebration events include:
Saturday 5th August from 3.00 to 5.00pm - a pop up café “Kettles On” in the Parish Room with tea and cakes. There will be displays in the Parish Room and the church of old photographs showing local people and places.
Friday 11th August in the Parish Room at 7.30pm, Ted Flexman will give a short talk about St Cuthbert entitled “Bread & Angels” and this will be followed by light refreshments.
Saturday 12th August from 3.00 to 5.00pm there will be a display in the church of old photographs, and flower arrangements in memory of loved ones and organ music. On the same evening from 6.00pm wine, beer and canapes will be served in the church garden prior to a concert in the church at 7.00pm.
Sunday 13th August at 11.00am there will be a “Songs of Praise” in the church led by the Rector, Rev’d Caroline Falkingham assisted by the Rev’d Peter Sanderson who was the vicar of this church from 1967 to 1974. This will be followed by a village BBQ/picnic in the church gardens. (Bring your own food, plates, cutlery, drinks and glasses; barbeques, salads and desserts will be provided.)
There is no charge for any of these events but donations will be gratefully received