| Summary : Early English style Anglican parish church situated in the grounds of Newby Hall and was built for Lady Mary Vyner 1870-76. The church is one of twin churches built as a memorial to Frederick Grantham Vyner, son of Lady Vyner and brother of Henrietta Anne Theodosia Robinson, the First Marchioness of Ripon who lived at Studley Royal Park. Frederick was travelling in Greece in April 1870 when he was kidnapped and killed. The twin church - St Mary's Church (Monument HOB UID 51936) is located six miles away in Studley Royal Park. Both were designed by William Burges who used the same team of craftsmen for each building, and included; sculptor Thomas Nicholls, glass designers Lonsdale and Weekes, manufacturers of stained glass Saunders and Co., and contractors Thompson and Company from Peterborough. The Church of Christ the Consoler was consecrated by the Bishop of Ripon on 2nd October 1876 and it replaced the Chapel of St Helen (Monument HOB UID 53518) as the parish church of Skelton cum Newby . The church is still in use as a parish church [2001]. It is built of grey Catraig stone, with Morcar stone used for the exterior facings and mouldings, white limestone for the interior, with a grey slate roof. It comprises a four bay nave, with north and south aisles, a south porch, a partly enclosed massive tower with spire on the north side, and a square three-bay chancel with priest's door. Every window in the church contains stained glass, forming a complete sequence installed when the church was built, designed by Frederick Weeks from sketches by Horatio Walter, and made by Saunders and Company. |
More information : (SE 35996795) Church (NAT) (1)
Church of Christ the Consoler, 1871-2 by William Burges. Built for Vyner family a few years before Studley Royal church. Nave with clerestory, lower chancel both with steep roofs. North tower with spire. Rose west window. Original quality. Very rich interior. Excellent Victorian glass designed by F Weeks. (2)
Anglican parish church in the ground of Newby Hall, constructed in 1871-6, in Early English style, by William Burges for Lady Mary Vyner. The church is constructed from grey Catraig stone, with Morcar stone from nearby Markenfield Hall for the exterior facings and mouldings, white limestone from Lord Ripon's quarries near Studley Royal for the interior, and a grey slate roof. It consists of a nave of four bays with north and south aisles, a south porch, a partly enclosed massive tower with spire on the north side, and a square three-bay chancel with priest's door. Every window in the church contains stained glass, forming a complete sequence installed when the church was built. These was designed by Frederick Weeks from sketches by Horatio Walter under Burges' overall supervision, and made by Saunders and Company. The church was built in memory of Lady Mary Vyners youngest son, Frederick. He was travelling in Greece in April 1870 when his party was captured by Brigands. A ransom of thirty-two thousand pounds was demanded, but before the money was delivered Greek soldiers opened fire and four members of the British party were shot. Using either her contribution to the ransom money, or compensation from the Greek government, Frederick's mother decided to build a church near her home at Newby Hall as a memorial. (3-6)
The church is one of twin churches built as a memorial to Frederick Grantham Vyner, son of Lady Mary Vyner and brother of Henrietta Anne Theodosia Robinson, the First Marchioness of Ripon, who lived at Studley Royal Park. The other church - St Mary's Church (Monument HOB UID 51936) is located six miles away in Studley Royal Park. Both churches were designed by William Burges who commissioned the same team of craftsmen which included; sculptor Thomas Nicholls, glass designers Lonsdale and Weekes, and manufacturers of stained glass Saunders and Co. to work on both churches. Contractors Thompson and Company from Peterborough also worked on both churches.
The church was built for Lady Vyner on land donated by her in 1870. It was consecrated by the Bishop of Ripon on 2nd October 1876 and the church functioned as the parish church of Skelton cum Newby replacing the Chapel of St Helen (Monument HOB UID 53518). The church is still in use as a parish church [2001]. (7)
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