The sunlit stone and towering steeple of St Peter's Parish Church, or Huddersfield Parish Church, are an unmissable landmark in the heart of the town. These pictures, taken on a beautiful clear day, showcase the Grade II* listed building in all its Gothic Revival glory, a monumental presence at the junction of Kirkgate and Byram Street. But this is more than just a magnificent building; it is a repository of history and some truly fascinating tales.
Roots in the 11th Century
The church you see today, with its impressive 135-foot clock tower dominating the skyline, is actually the third church to stand on this venerable site. Its origins date all the way back to the 11th century, shortly after the Domesday Book.
Legend has it that the very first church was established around 1090-1100 by Walter de Lacy, a Norman nobleman, who vowed to build a church after surviving a terrifying fall from his horse into a swampy marsh between Huddersfield and Halifax. A dramatic promise for a dramatic building site!
The Victorian Rebuild and a Cost-Saving Secret
The current, grand structure was built between 1834 and 1836 by the renowned York architect James Pigott Pritchett. The previous 16th-century church had simply become too small for Huddersfield's rapidly expanding population during the Industrial Revolution, and it was also structurally unstable.
In an interesting, and perhaps cautionary, piece of history, Pritchett was tasked with keeping costs down. To do this, he reused bricks from the dismantled 16th-century church in the new construction. While admirable for the effort to recycle, the quality of the old materials was poor, which unfortunately led to the church needing regular, extensive maintenance work almost from the start!
Architectural Highlights and Unique Features
The church is an excellent example of Gothic Revival architecture, characterised by its pointed arches, ornate tracery, and crenellated (battlemented) parapets. But its interior holds some of the most compelling stories and facts:
The Highest Clock: The prominent west tower, with clocks on all four sides, was deliberately built to an unusual height of 135 feet to ensure the time could be seen from all parts of the burgeoning industrial town.
The War Memorial Masterpiece: The sanctuary is dominated by a gilded timber Baldachino (a ceremonial canopy over the altar) and the East Window, which together form the parish's First World War Memorial. They were installed in 1923 and designed by the famous early 20th-century architect, Sir Ninian Comper.
Underground Dining: The church's large crypt now hosts "The Keys" café/restaurant, providing a wonderfully quirky and atmospheric venue for visitors and locals alike, continuing the church's role as a true community hub.
From a dramatic rescue in the 11th century to a cost-cutting compromise in the 19th, and from architectural mastery to a hidden mouse, St Peter's Parish Church is a place that truly weaves the spiritual, social, and industrial history of Huddersfield into its very stone. Next time you're in the town centre, take a moment to step inside and appreciate the stories held within this magnificent building.
I took these pictures with a Nikon d3300 on the 27th May 2023, clicking any of them should open a link in another window to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.
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