A new stone cross has been crafted for the apex of St Thomas the Apostle, Killinghall, near Harrogate, thanks to the generosity of an anonymous benefactor.
During urgent repairs on the roof during Autumn, it was discovered the original cross on the East side of the church, dating back to 1880, was in such a weathered state that it had to be taken down. Although the church had used reserves to make the building watertight it couldn’t afford the cost of a new cross.
That’s when an anonymous benefactor from the village stepped in and donated the money so the church could enlist the specialist stonemason skills of Sam Baxter (pictured) who's company, Pebble, is based in Killinghall. Sam is pictured installing the cross during gale-force winds. It meant he had to hold onto the cross for a very chilly 40 minutes while the resin set!
Revd Chrissy Wilson, the Vicar of St Thomas said “it is a wonderful sight to see the cross reinstated and we are grateful to Sam for all his hard work”.