St Michael's Church, Mytholmroyd

 Mytholmroyd Parish Church, better known as St Michael's Church was consecrated on the 8th September 1848. Built as part of the Million Pound Church act, a scheme officially known as the 1820 Church Building Act, that was intended to start a program of building churches in growing areas. The act was created after research had shown that few new churches had been built since the era of Queen Anne who had died in 1714. The act saw the government contribute over £1.1 million and public subscription raise an additional £1.9 million. Churches built to minimum budgets and became known as Commissioners Churches, Million Pound Churches or Waterloo Churches, a large amount of the money raised being taken from the war indemnity after the Napoleonic Wars.

St Michael's was extended in 1888, with a 2 storey Sunday School following soon after, this was reduced to 1 storeyand converted to the church hall in the 1970's. The church was badly flooded in the 2015 Boxing Day Floods, levels reaching a height of over 4 feet and forcing a closure that lasted for almost 2 years. This was the first significant flooding at St Michaels since the 1940's and has led to more flood prevention work taking place along the banks of the River Calder.

I took theses pictures with a Samsung Galaxy Tablet on the 26th October 2013, I have replaced the sky as the original picture showed a washed out lifeless one.

The River Calder flowing past St Michael's, a little over 2 years later the river burst its banks and rose to approx 4ft above the floor of the church. The buildings to the left were so severely damaged they were demolished shortly after and now it is an open space between Burnley Road and the River.

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Priest Lane and Ripponden Church Spire.

 Ripponden cobbles is a short road known as Priest Lane that runs down from the A58 Halifax Road, passing the Old Bridge Inn, crossing the River Ryburn before ending near to St Bartholomew's Church, Ripponden. The picture below was taken just beyond the Old Bridge Inn looking up towards the A58.

The following 3 pictures show Ripponden Parish Church or St Bartholomew's by its better known name. They were taken at differing angles. 

St Bartholomew's Church occupies a site alongside the River Ryburn in what is considered the historic township of Barkisland, it is very much considered Ripponden now with Barkisland sitting atop the nearby hill overlooking Ripponden. The first place of worship to occupy the site was a small chapel which was consecrated in 1465. A much larger church was built as a replacement in 1610 and again this was replaced when a new church was opened in 1731. The 1610 church having been badly damaged by the flood of 1722 when the River Ryburn rose by over 20 foot, the flooding caused a few graves to be washed away and the deaths of 15 people who all lived nearby. 

The third church to occupy the site lasted until 1867 when the roof was in such a bad state of repair the building was closed and demolished to be replaced by the current St Bartholomew's which opened in June 1870. George Shaw of Saddleworth was the architect and builder. The church underwent repairs to the belfry in 1876, when the nearby Ripponden Mill burnt down and sparks from the fire reached the belfry.  There has only been minor alterations since with windows replaced and a new organ installed. There is a local legend that says the people of Barkisland refused to contribute to the cleaning of the church clock and that is why the clock facing Barkisland is left uncleaned.

The church pictured from across the River Ryburn near to
the Old Bridge Inn. The river rose over 20 feet in 1722.

The church pictured from the B6113 Elland Road (Ripponden Bank).The dirty
Barkisland facing clock face can be seen on the right of the spire.

The church pictured from the abandoned Rishworth Branch Line

The pictures were taken on the 29 April 2017 using a Nikon d3300. Clicking any image should open a link in another window to the version on Clickasnap.

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All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.

St Marys Church, Kirkby Lonsdale

The Parish Church of Kirkby Lonsdale, or by it's official name St Mary the Virgin is a Grade I listed Anglican place of worship overlooking the River Lune in the town of Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria.

Standing on it's current site since the 12th Century, with some of the architecture being of Norman build the church has many influences in it's build due to various rebuilds during it's history. In the 14th century the church was extended by rebuilding the north and south walls further out. further developments in the early 16th century included the addition of a new clerestory, pinnacles and battlements, these were removed during further refurbishments in 1807 as a new roof was added. Again the church was remodelled in 1866 by E.G Paley who once raised the roof, re-floored the chancel, added a south porch amongst many other developments.

In the grounds are a number of Grade II listed monuments and a 2 storey octagonal stone gazebo thought to date from the late 18th century. It was moved to it's current location to the north of St Mary's from the garden of the vicarage.

The pictures below were taken on the 4th April 2015 with a Polaroid is2132 camera. They can also be seen on Clickasnap un-watermarked and higher resolution. Click any image for a link to the Clickasnap version to open in another window.

Clicking any image should open a link in another window to the un-watermarked, higher resolution version on Clickasnap.

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All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.