St Leonard’s, Molescroft
The indenture made on February 4th 1896 between Ernest Richard Bradley Hall-Watt, farmer of Bishop Burton, and Revd Henry Edward Nolloth, Vicar of Beverley Minster, states that a piece of land situated in the township of Molescroft, in the parish of St. John of Beverley, shall be used to build a Mission Room and Sunday school. The church was dedicated on December 1st 1896 by the Suffragen Bishop of Beverley, the Right Revd Robert Jarrat Crosthwaite. Before St. Leonard’s was built the people of Molescroft -population at that time around 200 – would have walked the two or so miles to the Minster for services. The church was small. Between the two World Wars seating for 35 was provided. There was very little development of the area at this time and a service was held once a Sunday.
All this changed in the 1960s and 1970s when Molescroft witnessed a huge development in house building. It was felt that the church should be extended and in 1976 plans were drawn up to add a chancel. The cost was estimated at £10,000 – a huge sum in those days. Work was completed in March 1979. Many improvements were made to the interior of the expanded building. The beautiful simple cross, which is a feature on the east wall of the chancel, was made by a craftsman from the army camp at nearby Leconfield, utilising timber from some surplus oak doors. Sixty new chairs and a new church organ were purchased, all made possible by donations from the congregation. Some of the previous church furnishings were reworked into a new lectern and flower pedestals, making the improvements compatible with the old. On April 25th 1979 the new chancel and furnishings were dedicated by the Lord Bishop of Hull, the Rt. Revd Geoffrey Paul, assisted by the Vicar of Beverley Minster.
Molescroft continued to expand. In the 1990s a major new housing project (New Molescroft) was constructed. By 1997 it was clear that for St. Leonard’s to continue to be effective in its mission substantial alterations to the building would be needed; it had no toilets, no kitchen facilities and inadequate heating. Exploratory work started in 1998. By September 2000 preliminary details of the alterations and costs were available and the congregation gave its strong support and helped with pledges and donations; in October the Parochial Church Council gave its approval. Other necessary approvals, including planning permission and a faculty, were obtained in the first half of 2001 and the extension built between August and November. The enlarged church now had a vestry, kitchenette, disabled entry and toilets. The greatest benefit has been increased use of the building. Over the past 3 years there have been more than 30 baptisms, and the church has been used by the Diocesan Training Group and other organisations. Well-known for its warm welcome and its singing St Leonard’s is seeking new ways to develop its ministry to the fast-growing community of Molescroft.
All Saints’, Routh
The first Church at Routh was built by Richard de Scruteville in the late 12th Century and the first record of a Priest at Routh is that of Thomas Rude instituted in 1213 During the 14th Century the present Church was built and dedicated to All Saints’.
In 1900 the church was renovated, the tower and roof were heightened and in October 1905 King Edward VII, visited the church and according to a newspaper cutting ‘His Majesty was well pleased with the Church’.
The bell in the clock tower is dated 1732 and the clock (installed 1919) is the Village War Memorial given by the parishioners of Routh in honour of those who gave their lives and others who served in the Great War.
In 1963 Routh was without a Rector for the first time in 650 years. The then Vicar of the Minster Rev. E.B. Bull offered to become Curate in Charge of Routh and this has been the case to this day. All Saints’ is an independent Church, having its own PCC etc. but we are greatly dependent upon and grateful for all the care that is so generously given by Beverley Minster.
All Saints’ has two beautiful stained glass windows: the East window was erected as a memorial to John Stephenson in 1869, and the West window commemorated the safe return from the Great War of Lieutenant Samman MC in 1920.
On the South side of the altar there are magnificent brass effigies believed to be of Johannes Routh and his wife Agnes and on the North side a tombstone believed to be from the grave of Sir William de Routh, buried in the earlier church in 1240. The organ was installed in 1913 and electrified in 1953. The Pulpit is believed to be Jacobean.
In 1987 the Bishop of Hull consecrated the extension of the graveyard.
When the Church as floodlit to commemorate entering the 21st century and 2000 years of Christianity a comment was made ‘I have seen the Church floodlit across the fields, and it has been a symbol of something permanent and unchanging in an increasingly mercenary world. I have valued the beacon of hope offered by that light’. It will be a very important indication to all concerned that this Church in particular, is valued, appreciated and wanted, and that sufficient people are concerned for its welfare for it to be maintained as a place of active Christian worship. These words say why we at Routh have an obligation to those who built and kept the church open for the last six centuries, and love this special place in the village where all are made welcome to join in the worship of our Lord.
St Peter’s, Woodmansey
Woodmansey being a ribbon development is an unusual village in that it covers a very widespread area from its boundaries with Dunswell encompassing the Victoria Road area and then reaching as far as Figham Road. St Peter’s Woodmansey lies on the busy Hull Road opposite the village school. It isn’t a compact village like some of its neighbouring villages because of the way it has evolved and the housing developments which have taken place.
The roots of the Church began with William Bainton a local landowner at Beverley Parks who provided the funding for the Church to be built in 1896-7 to a design by Alfred Beaumont.
The Church was consecrated in 1898. It is a very small compact Church with one small vestry. There are two beautiful stained glass windows. The one behind the altar depicts the crucifixion with Mary Magdalene on the one side and Mary on the other with Angels above them. When the sun shines through the rich colours of purple, gold and velvet blue glisten in the sunlight. The large stained glass window behind the font depicts Jesus on the shores and fishermen casting their nets. We understand this window could be made by Kempe as it bears Kempe’s trademark of a weatsheaf in one of the panes. We are currently making enquiries regarding repairs to this window so may be able to have this verified shortly. The colours in this window are also very rich and are similar to the ones at the front of the Church. As you look towards the altar to the left there is a tiny window pane showing Jesus with some children and lambs.*
St Peter’s Church celebrated their centenary in 1998 with a display of memorabilia and old photographs collected by local villagers.
The Head teacher at Woodmansey School organises traditional services at St Peter’s at Easter, Harvest Festival and Christmas time.
We have a wide variety of services from the more formal Communion service to the all age service. We are pleased to welcome new faces to our congregation and our list of services can be found in the Beverley Minster Parish Magazine.
*Historical information “ Yorkshire: York and the East Riding, D Neave and N Pevsner (2nd Edition 1995)
History, Typography and Directory of East Yorkshire, T Bulmer & Co 1892
The Victoria History of the Countries of England A History of Yorkshire East Riding Vol V1
The Borough and Liberties of Beverley (1989)
St Paul’s, Tickton
Tickton, first mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, has been connected with Beverley Minster since the reign of King Athelstan in the 10th century. St. Paul’s was constructed in 1844, at a cost of £850, as a chapel of ease of the Minster and was consecrated by the Bishop of Bangor in 1845. The first wedding was conducted in January 1846 and first baptism in July of the same year.
Throughout the latter part of the 19th century the church benefited greatly from the support of the Stephenson family, millers at nearby Hull Bridge. They were responsible for providing the majority of the fine stained glass (all still in good condition), the organ (1886) and the lectern.
The links with the Methodist community in Tickton, whose present chapel was built in 1879, have been strengthened by the establishment of a Local Ecumenical Partnership (LEP), which began in 1994 and was fully implemented in 1996. The LEP under the name ‘The Church in Tickton’ enables the congregation to participate in a wide and varied worship pattern: All Age Worship, Morning Prayer, Anglican and Methodist Communion, informal and BCP services. Services are held in both buildings, led by clergy and lay members from both denominations on a rotational basis.
There is a thriving ‘Youth Kaf’, for youngsters aged 10 to 14, held once a month, and a Christmas Show held every December, which features children and teenagers from the local community. The village has a Church of England Primary School whose board of governors includes a member of the ecumenical clergy team, currently the Methodist minister, and several lay members of the congregation. Clergy and members of the church take turns to lead weekly assemblies, and to run a lunchtime club.
St. Paul’s is a venue for both Anglican and Methodist weddings and baptisms, for which there is a unified service. It holds funerals and still has an open churchyard. Interment is limited to those who reside in the parish or have close family connections.
Improvements to the facilities continue to be made. In 1999 the chapel was refurbished and extended to include a new kitchen and accessible toilet facilities. The building is home to a thriving Carer & Toddler group and a group for older people. A new heating system has been installed in St Paul’s, and the interior redecorated.
Many initiatives include the local community: an annual garden party, the modern interpretation of the Christmas story already mentioned, and regular fund-raising events. Currently money is being raised to develop the facilities at St Paul’s to include a toilet, small kitchen and an area for children to use during worship.