St. Mary

Introduction

Saint Mary's Church in Knaresborough was built in 1831. The building was designed to look like a private house, shortly after the Catholic Emancipation Act of 1829. The church is a Grade II listed building, first listed on 15-May-1968.

History

The recorded story of Saint Mary's Knaresborough begins in 1693 when English Benedictines became chaplains to the Plumptons. In 1831, land was bought in Bond End and on it a house and church were built. Tradition says that the stones for the church were brought by Mr. Swale from the ruins of the old pre-Reformation chapel of Saint Hilda at Rudfarlington. The church suffered a fire in 1961, which damaged three large paintings. The foundations are said to have come from the ruins of St Hilda's Chapel, Rudfarlington, but no early stonework was visible at resurvey.

Architecture and furnishings

The church is built of coursed squared gritstone with a Westmorland slate roof. The interior has a balcony at the west end supported by two cast-iron columns with acanthus capitals. The organ was built in 1860 and installed in 1961. The ceiling is divided into 8 panels with egg-and-dart mouldings.

The central ceiling panel has a large roundel with a fan motif. The outer ceiling panels have roundels with flower and leaf motifs. The church has a round-arched niche with a statue above the porch. The church has a central triangular pediment with a cross in relief.

The church has a central single-storey porch that was later blocked to form a chapel. The parish maintains a Music and Choir ministry. The parish choir sings at weddings and funerals when requested.

Parish life

The parish has a bereavement team to support families during grieving. The Parish Pastoral Council guides the parish priest and ensures communication.

The parish is closely associated with St Aelred's of Rievaulx, sharing Mass and sacraments. The parish runs a 200 Club with monthly draws. The parish has a Children's Liturgy group that maintains a book box for children.