churches

HEMSWORTH PARISH CHURCH (St. Helens) The Church is dedicated to St. Helen, mother of Constantine the Great. The date of its foundation is not known but a reference to ' William, Priest of Hemsworth ' occurs in local manuscripts dated about 1200 A.D. There is no record of the Church in the Doomsday Book. There was a Norman Nave at least until Victorian times when the Victorian architect Pearson was called in to do reconstruction work. The Lady Chapel dates from the 15th Century. The two pre-Reformation Bells were removed for re-tuning in 1951, and the 18th Century bell was removed at the same time for re-casting. It is believed that one of these bells was made by John Potter of York between 1360 and 1380. The bells were re-hung and re-dedicated in September 1951 and the first full peal, a Treble Bob Major of 5056 changes lasting 3hrs 10mins, was rung on 1st December, 1951. Westminster Chimes in memory of Mr. M. Allen were installed and dedicated in the same year, and a new organ made by Messrs.Binns, Filton and Haley of Leeds was installed and dedicated at the same time. (See Misc Photographs) Two gravestones at the north side of the church are of note. One is of Richard Stringer who was Master of the Hospital during the re-building of the almshouses north of the church. His inscription reads "Here lies what was mortal of Rev. Richard Stringer, Master of the Hospital, a religious and honest man. Married Frances, daughter of Harry Farrar, Rector of this parish. Frances died in 1757 aged 71 years. Richard died in 1786 aged 89 years. A nearby grave belongs to "John Atkinson d. 1834 aged 67, who faithfully and conscientiously fulfilled his duties as 2nd master of Hemsworth Free Grammar School". Immediately north of the church stood the buidings of the Holgate Hospital in 1770, and the existing Rectory Farm was the Masters House. A stone plaque was removed during renovations in the late 1920's and re-sited on a gable end of Archbishop Holgate School. The Ancient Yew Tree in the Church Yard, has a circumference of 15 ft 3 ins at a height of 3ft from the ground, and is estimated to be about 700 years old. Yew trees were emblems of imortality long before the Christian period. In later years they provided wood for the English long bow. The photpgraph shows the stone tablet at the base of the tree recording that it 'lost some of its noblest branches ' during the great gale of 24th January, 1884. On the wall at the bottom of the Church steps (facing onto Station Road) is an inscribed stone.TG 1670 ???

The Ancient Yew Tree in the Church Yard, has a circumference of 15 ft 3 ins at a height of 3ft from the ground, and is estimated to be about 700 years old. Yew trees were emblems of imortality long before the Christian period. In later years they provided wood for the English long bow. The photpgraph shows the stone tablet at the base of the tree recording that it 'lost some of its noblest branches ' during the great gale of 24th January 1884

HEMSWORTH METHODIST CHURCH (Front of Church Westfield Road) 'Kellys Directory' of 1861 tells of a Methodist cause about 170 years ago. Wesleyans, and Wesleyan Reformers, had churches here. A silver cup dated 1844, and silver plate dated 1884, which is used at the Communion Services, help bear out this fact. On 16th February 1901 it was decided that the old church based at the present Gospel Hall was too small and a new Church needed to be built. A plot of land was purchased from a Mr. E. Atkinson of London, and plans were submitted by a Mr. Moxon for a School Chapel to seat 350 persons, after decision were made as to the modification of plans, tenders were examined, and the one sibmitted by a Mr. Salmon was accepted.

Rear of Church with extension facing Barnsley Road. One of the Churchs prized possessions is the pulpit which was presented to the Church by Mr. W. J. Townend when he became owner of Robin Hoods Well Farm at Skelbrooke, and from which pulpit it is most certainly believed the founder of Methodism, John Wesley had preached. Not until 1913 was a Minister appointed, but for two or three years before a Wesley Deaconess was active in the area.

CHURCH OF THE SACRED HEART (Formerly Holgate House) Sheltered by a stone wall and trees lies the Catholic Church. (The first school in Hemsworth, endowed by Robert Holgate, Archbishop of York. was established in this area in 1548) A new building was constructed and opened in 1868 with 36 boys on roll. The Holgate Grammar School Endowment was moved to Barnsley in the late 19th Century, and the buildings sold to form the Catholic Church shortly after 1887. The upper floor was used as the church and the lower floor as parish rooms. The Priest lived in the left hand part of the building where probably the Schoolmaster lived? The front of the building (on this photograph) is original but unfortunately the bell mounting was missing and only a stump remained to mark its site. Over the door into the Church and the door into the Presbytery, the stonework was decorated with three ???. On an old photograph of the Church with the bell mounting intact, this decoration was to be found there also. The significance is unknown. Hemsworth now has a lovely new Church built about 1994, on the site of the old building with a separate house for the Priest.

Holgate Trust     (Eileen O’Reilly)
In the 16^thCentury Robert Holgate. became Chancellor of the Realm, and eventually Archbishop of York.
He acquired much wealth, land, and property, stretching from Pickering and East Yorkshire to Hemsworth.   Holgate was born in Hemsworth and did not forget his native village. He left an endowment the ‘Holgate Trust’ which to this day controls Hemsworth Holgate Alms House in Robin Lane, Hemsworth.   The Alms House Trust was made for the upkeep of a number of men and women of the Protestant persuasion.   Holgate also left money for schools in Hemsworth, York, and old Malton.
In May, 1548 the Archbishop by deed poll, prescribed the rules and ordinances of the Hemsworth School.     The school was endowed with property originally valued at £24 a year.   The first master was John Thurleston, a Master of Arts from Lincoln College, Oxford who also appears to have been Vicar of Felkirk.
The master was to have an understanding in Hebrew, Greek and Latin. He was to be free to appoint an usher, or junior master, whose job was to teach the lower forms for a salary of £4 a year. If the master was ill the usher could take over his duties and be paid 3 shilling a week for it, whilst scholars could take over the ushers work, and receive 1 shilling a week out of the usher’s wages.
In 1864 it was decided to close the boy’s school which had fallen on bad times, and a new school was built on the present site, known as Holgate House    (the old Catholic Church site) Alas, the people of Hemsworth lost interest (numbers fell - perhaps the standard was too high) and in 1896 the school closed.   The endowment was transferred by Deed of Parliament - whence Barnsley Holgate School.   The building lay dormant for a while until Rev Father Charles Leteux signed deeds to purchase the property for £3,500. On the 4^th July 1898 the building was used as a Catholic Church - The Sacred Heart, for 100 years and celebrated its centenary in 1991.
Alas this building fell into disrepair and was demolished. The bricks were used to build the new presbytery (Holgate House) which stands by the side of the new Church.
(By Eileen O'Reilly ©)

The Salvation Army. Bush Street. Was opened in June1906. The movement was founded in 1865 by the Methodist William and Cathrine Booth, who believed in taking their message out into the local communities. As a young family they move to London and worked in the Mile End Road. The movement became The Salvation Army in 1878, after their leading of the East London Christian Mission. Street meeting were often disrupted by people shouting, and trying to disrupt the sevrices. In 1878 Charles Fry formed a Brass Quartet, along with his three sons, this attracted people and drowned the noise of the disrupters

William Booth is alleged to have said " Why should the devil have all the best tunes?" so popular tunes and sometimes tunes from shows were given new lyrics, along with the secular music. The first songster brigate was formed in Penge in 1898. The movement employs over 100,000 people and innumerable volunteers. The Army works in many countries throughout the world, providing education, relief, and aid to the poor. Hemsworth Corps New Hall was opened on 15th February, 1958 by Mrs. Horace Holmes, wife of the MP. Total cost of the building was £3.696.7s Hemsworth Corps Band (Thanks to H. Taylor) A Photo of the Corps Songster taken 1948, can be seen on the Misc.Photos page.