Hope in the Heart of Birkby
St John’s lies at the heart of Birkby, half a mile from Huddersfield town centre.
We belong to the Anglican Communion, within the Diocese of Leeds. The building was designed by William Butterfield and its construction entrusted to Joseph Kaye of Huddersfield: the foundation stone being laid in 1851 by Sir John Ramsden. It was consecrated in 1853 and it is said up to 4,000 people attended the opening.
St John’s is a people, a place and an idea.
We are a small Christian community which lives for the glory of God and the transformation of the local community. Moved by a reverence for life, the pursuit of justice for all, we try to inspire one another to seek the truth, live fully, care deeply and make a difference. We are proud to serve a diverse and interesting community.
In the summer of 2008 thieves attempted to steal the lightening conductor from the church tower and in the process toppled the upper eight meters of the spire, which crashed to the ground causing extensive damage, especially to the south aisle. The subsequent repair, along with further investigations revealed that the building required extensive restoration work. An initial offer of grant assistance from English Heritage was reluctantly declined by the PCC as it felt the project was beyond the congregation’s limited capacity.
In 2011, it became apparent that the East Window would be lost if work was not urgently carried out. At this stage it was agreed to approach English Heritage (subsequently the Heritage Lottery Fund) once again, and a programme of work with their valued assistance is now underway that will secure this listed Grade II* building for the future.
Phase One
2013
Stabilising the east end including rebuilding and restoring the great east window.
Phase Two
2014
North side: re-roofing, timber, stone and lead work.
Phase Three
2018
As Phase Two but on the south side. This will also involve an investigation of the tower with some repair. Work is currently underway.
Phase Four
2020
Repair to the tower, sanctuary and vestry roof along with restoration of the west face and window.
In addition to this it is hoped that next year we will be able to complete repairs to the interior of the roof, and redecorate the nave. We also intend, if possible, to carry out some restoration work in the sanctuary before redecorating. Beyond this we are cautiously beginning to discuss the reordering of the interior of the church.
The vision for the future is not simply to restore a fine building and safeguarding our heritage, but to better engage with those around us, and offer a vibrant and lively centre that can help regenerate and reinvigorate our community.
