St James' Church
In the early days of Seacroft Village the Parish Church was St Mary’s, Whitkirk and it was not until last century that that a church in Seacroft was proposed. The foundation stone was laid by John Wilson JP of Seacroft Hall on 22nd July. 1844. The church was constructed in 1845 by Benjamin Russell at a cost of £3,174. The vicar of Whitkirk and his relatives gave £1,196 and John Wilson and family gave £1,060. The Incorporated Diocesan Building Societies gave £450, Trinity College, Cambridge gave £200 and £62.8s.6d was given on the day of consecration. Smaller sums were given by others and free cartage of building materials was provided by local farmers.
The Lord Bishop of Ripon consecrated the church on November 28th 1845 in honour of st James with the Rev H H Blanshard designated the first incumbent.
The church is stone built with chancel, nave and north aisle and transept, with a small octagonal vestry, as well as the main vestry and also with a north-western tower.
THE TOWER AND THE SPIRE
These are 94ft high, and contain five bells. Originally the church had three bells given by Mrs Martha Wilson to commemorate her 90th birthday in 1865. They were taken down and recast by John Taylor and Co. Of Loughborough, to provide the present light-weights 2-1-2 and the Tenor in D 3-3-6. And they are among the lightest rings in existence.
Graveyard
Externally the Church has a fine Churchyard with many stones that are differently and beautiful carved giving a picture of the hazards of Victorian life as well as a delightful “Country-Churchyard”example. Memorials include those of Sister Agnes Stewart, Mother Superior of St Saviour’s Home at Knostrop who died on 30th April 1886. Sister Agnes had asked to be buried at St Hilda’s Cross Green, but, by the time of her death, the churchyard there was closed and so she was brought to the nearest Parish, Seacroft.
Alderman Edmund Stead of New Manston Hall is commemorated by a granite obelisk as well as two former vicars of St. James’, John Hepher and Cyril Adams.
James Fowler 1830-1899 Head gardener for Earl of Harewood for 35 years
Joseph Smith Burton killed at Garforth Sisters Pit 1900 aged 55 years.
Sowden family of the old “Lion and Lamb” inn.
Sarah Anne Carter 1861-1886 daughter of John and Elizabeth Carter of Pigeon Cote Farm also Frederick Derwick Carter aged 7 years 1887
The Lord Bishop of Ripon consecrated the church on November 28th 1845 in honour of st James with the Rev H H Blanshard designated the first incumbent.
The church is stone built with chancel, nave and north aisle and transept, with a small octagonal vestry, as well as the main vestry and also with a north-western tower.
THE TOWER AND THE SPIRE
These are 94ft high, and contain five bells. Originally the church had three bells given by Mrs Martha Wilson to commemorate her 90th birthday in 1865. They were taken down and recast by John Taylor and Co. Of Loughborough, to provide the present light-weights 2-1-2 and the Tenor in D 3-3-6. And they are among the lightest rings in existence.
Graveyard
Externally the Church has a fine Churchyard with many stones that are differently and beautiful carved giving a picture of the hazards of Victorian life as well as a delightful “Country-Churchyard”example. Memorials include those of Sister Agnes Stewart, Mother Superior of St Saviour’s Home at Knostrop who died on 30th April 1886. Sister Agnes had asked to be buried at St Hilda’s Cross Green, but, by the time of her death, the churchyard there was closed and so she was brought to the nearest Parish, Seacroft.
Alderman Edmund Stead of New Manston Hall is commemorated by a granite obelisk as well as two former vicars of St. James’, John Hepher and Cyril Adams.
James Fowler 1830-1899 Head gardener for Earl of Harewood for 35 years
Joseph Smith Burton killed at Garforth Sisters Pit 1900 aged 55 years.
Sowden family of the old “Lion and Lamb” inn.
Sarah Anne Carter 1861-1886 daughter of John and Elizabeth Carter of Pigeon Cote Farm also Frederick Derwick Carter aged 7 years 1887
Frederick 1908 aged 18 years son of John William and Hannah Carter of Providence Farm Whinmoor
Charles John 1844-1875 son of Thomas and Ann Blakey of Whinmoor Lodge
Maria wife of Thomas Dawson 1825 aged 33 years and children
William 1821 aged 6 years
Francis 1825 aged 2 weeks
Moses 1833 aged 11 years
Death sometimes came early to children in this era
Second wife 1855 aged 77 years
Thomas 1861 aged 78 years
Son John Dawson aged 36 years 1869
William Robert Hawkes Johnson 1879 of Manston House.
There are two oak plaques commemorating John Wilson and his son Darcy Bruce Wilson within the church. In the North wall is a brass plate identifying the installation of the eat window 1868 in memory of Sarah Wilson the daughter of John and Martha. The Wilson family vault is beneath the church and contains the remains of isabella, Roderic, Louisa, John, Martha and Darcy Bruce Wilson.
THE STAINED GLASS
The chancel windows. East: centre,show the Resurrection and the Crucifixion with St. James in the centre, while in the lancets on each side are the symbols of the four evangelists.
In the side windows St. Thomas, St. Richard and St. Anne appear on the north side, the St. George and St. John on the south. All the chancel windows seem to date from 1845.
The double lancet in the South wall shows the early life of Christ, the Annunciation, and the Nativity, Coming of the Magi, the Flight into Egypt, the Presentation, and the Finding in the Temple. These are all dated in memory of Martha Wilson 1869.
The West Lancets show our Lord’s Baptism and the Last supper with symbols of the evangelists again – in memory of George Walker of Killingbeck, who died in 1865.
The North window (obscured by the organ) also has glass from 1868.
Charles John 1844-1875 son of Thomas and Ann Blakey of Whinmoor Lodge
Maria wife of Thomas Dawson 1825 aged 33 years and children
William 1821 aged 6 years
Francis 1825 aged 2 weeks
Moses 1833 aged 11 years
Death sometimes came early to children in this era
Second wife 1855 aged 77 years
Thomas 1861 aged 78 years
Son John Dawson aged 36 years 1869
William Robert Hawkes Johnson 1879 of Manston House.
There are two oak plaques commemorating John Wilson and his son Darcy Bruce Wilson within the church. In the North wall is a brass plate identifying the installation of the eat window 1868 in memory of Sarah Wilson the daughter of John and Martha. The Wilson family vault is beneath the church and contains the remains of isabella, Roderic, Louisa, John, Martha and Darcy Bruce Wilson.
THE STAINED GLASS
The chancel windows. East: centre,show the Resurrection and the Crucifixion with St. James in the centre, while in the lancets on each side are the symbols of the four evangelists.
In the side windows St. Thomas, St. Richard and St. Anne appear on the north side, the St. George and St. John on the south. All the chancel windows seem to date from 1845.
The double lancet in the South wall shows the early life of Christ, the Annunciation, and the Nativity, Coming of the Magi, the Flight into Egypt, the Presentation, and the Finding in the Temple. These are all dated in memory of Martha Wilson 1869.
The West Lancets show our Lord’s Baptism and the Last supper with symbols of the evangelists again – in memory of George Walker of Killingbeck, who died in 1865.
The North window (obscured by the organ) also has glass from 1868.
The church has had three major interior changes in its life. The first, in the 1950s involved removing the organ from what is now the main vestry and placing it in the transept now the main vestry and placing it in the transept with a choir vestry beneath, and the console in its present position.
The second, in the early 1970s, brought the altar forward from the East Wall and transferred the choir from the chancel to the end of the north aisle. Later the other altar was erected in the north aisle to provide form week-day services.
Thirdly, the division of the Church to give a community meeting-room was undertaken – first by the building on to the north side, a kitchen and toilets, and then adding the handsome oak screen the false roof with new flooring, cupboards etc. opened in 1988. The architect for this major transformation was Sebastian Rowe.
Agnes Logan Stewart (1820-1886)
Was born in London in 1820, she made regular visits to the slum districts helping the poor, a path that led to a lifetime of self-sacrifice. In 1857 she inherited a large sum of money from her father using this to move to Somerset and found an orphanage for girls.
In 1871, now known as Mother Agnes, she journeyed to Leeds, to build and work in the orphanage (built with her own funds) and St Hilda’s parish, contributing to the building of St Hilda’s church which opened in 1882. Her work included a Sunday bible class, a night school for boys, mothers’ meetings and an institute for men and boys of the area.
Mother Agnes died on April 30, 1886, and was buried in St James’s Seacroft churchyard as nearer graveyards were full. She left enough money to ensure that all her good works would carry on after her death. The orphanage continued until 1939.
The second, in the early 1970s, brought the altar forward from the East Wall and transferred the choir from the chancel to the end of the north aisle. Later the other altar was erected in the north aisle to provide form week-day services.
Thirdly, the division of the Church to give a community meeting-room was undertaken – first by the building on to the north side, a kitchen and toilets, and then adding the handsome oak screen the false roof with new flooring, cupboards etc. opened in 1988. The architect for this major transformation was Sebastian Rowe.
Agnes Logan Stewart (1820-1886)
Was born in London in 1820, she made regular visits to the slum districts helping the poor, a path that led to a lifetime of self-sacrifice. In 1857 she inherited a large sum of money from her father using this to move to Somerset and found an orphanage for girls.
In 1871, now known as Mother Agnes, she journeyed to Leeds, to build and work in the orphanage (built with her own funds) and St Hilda’s parish, contributing to the building of St Hilda’s church which opened in 1882. Her work included a Sunday bible class, a night school for boys, mothers’ meetings and an institute for men and boys of the area.
Mother Agnes died on April 30, 1886, and was buried in St James’s Seacroft churchyard as nearer graveyards were full. She left enough money to ensure that all her good works would carry on after her death. The orphanage continued until 1939.