St. Michael & All Angels Church
LATEST NEWS
Demolition work on St. Michael's Church Building began on 29th July 2003. The work is expected to take
3 to 4 weeks. This has come about sooner than expected because of the deterioration in the
condition of the roof supports which caused the building to be condemned. Worship will continue for the time
being in the church hall and foyer";
Church Plans to Go Ahead - Target 9th January 2003
Plans to rebuild a CottingleyChurch are set to steam ahead.
A survey of St. Michael and All Angels church in Littlelands, which is to be demolished and
rebuilt to provide more community facilities, was carried out by project leaders in November.
A schedule of accommodation and an initial design was drawn up which will be sent to architects, developers
and prospective partners.
Once a final design has been agreed an outline of the full scheme will be sent to the Lottery Board
with an application for funding.
- For latest information
see Cornerstone Project
26th February 2003
Centre will create new village heart
3rd March 2003 - Cornerstone Centre Launched
You are so resilient , Prince tells village
Photo courtesy K Wraith
The Old St. Michael's Church began as a mission church of Holy Trinity, Bingley
in 1877. In 1881 a large schoolroom was added by the liberality
of Mr. Henry Mason of Bankfield, and early in 1886 Mr. Mason offered the sum of £1500
towards the endowment of an independent parish church. The Church of St. Michael &
All Angels was consecrated by the Bishop of Ripon on 29th September 1886.
A district comprising 985 acres was assigned by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners
out of the parish of Holy Trinity and the Rev. John Simpson, M.A. from Grasmere,
who had been 9 years curate in charge, was appointed first incumbent of the new
parish in 1904.
A description of the Church in the press at the time of consecration stated ";The Church is
30 feet wide by 80 feet long. The square is about 14 feet high and the ridge 23 feet.
The interior is treated in pitch pine and wooden pillars rise from the communion rail
to the ridge.";
The first wedding took place on 16th July 1887 between John Marshall Halliday (20) and
Elizabeth Armstrong (21).
The first baptism after the consecration was on 10th October 1886 of Emily daughter of
Thomas and Elizabeth Holmes.
Incumbents of the old Cottingley Church:
1886 - 1920 The Revd. J. Simpson
1920 - 1922 The Revd. W. T. Mallorie
1922 - 1943 The Revd. Canon J. Watson
1943 - 1954 The Revd. Canon C. H. Brown
1954 - 1963 The Revd. D. R. Nockels
1964 - 1966 The Revd. P. G. English
1966 - 1968 The Revd. E. Murgatroyd
It continued in existence until 1968 when it was found to have extensive dry rot.
After much deliberation it was decided that a new church be built nearer the centre of the
now expanding village. When the new Church was built on the site at Littlelands the
old Church was left empty awaiting deconsecration and on 3rd October 1969 it caught fire
and had to be demolished.
The site is now occupied by modern flats called St. Michael's Close.
The old empty vicarage was also later demolished and the site converted to a car park for the
neighbouring Sun Inn. It was later sold for development and is now the site of modern housing
called ";Old Vicarage Close";.
Photo courtesy K Wraith
Interior of the old Church
Canon Brown
Rev Nockels
Church Sale
GFS production
GFS production
Some church members
The above 8 photos loaned by Edna
NEW BEGINNINGS
The site at Littlelands was purchased in 1965. The first building to be erected was the
vicarage. The cost of building the Church was to be in the region of £50,000
and the parish was expected to pay one quarter of this as well as paying for the interior
furnishings. It was felt that its situation was
nearer to the centre of the parish than that of its predecessor.
Work started in 1967 and on 25th November 1967 Bishop Parker laid an ordinary brick
as a foundation for the new church. He described it as ";the day I have been looking
forward to ever since I came to Bradford.";
On Saturday 6th July, 1968 at 3 pm the consecration occurred.
The Church Bell was brought from the old church. There had been two bells but one
was found to be cracked
and unsuitable. The remaining bell was cast in 1876 by J Shaw & Sons, Founders, Leeds Road,
Bradford. A Tapestry Guild was formed under the guidance of Mary Lindley and 250 tapestry
kneelers were made by members.
Incumbents of the new Cottingley Church:
1968 - 1977 The Revd. E. Murgatroyd
1978 - 1994 The Revd. Dr. R. S. Anderson
1995 - 1999 The Revd. J. Francis
2000 - ......... The Revd. S. Pinnington
In 1918, it was decided that a memorial should be put up in the village as a reminder
of those who had given their lives in the First World War. It was subscribed for by the people
of Cottingley and erected in the paddock adjoining the Church. It was in the form of a Calvary
with names of the departed inlaid at its foot. In 1969 the Calvary memorial was moved
to its present site in the garden of the ";new"; church and roses planted around its base.
(I am indebted to Robin Wraith for much of the information above
about the Church";
The Memorial was restored and the figure of Christ replaced in 2002 after it had been vandalised
beyond repair. The Prince of Wales attended the rededication ceremony which was carried out on
30th September 2002 at 11.30 am.
New Memorial
The following is a copy of a T & A report about Prince Charles' visit to
Cottingley
Charles angered by vandal attack
by Carolyne Coyle
Prince Charles is to unveil a new war memorial in Cottingley after being stirred by news that the village's original monument was vandalised.
The figure of Jesus Christ on a cross outside St Michael and All Angels was sacrilegiously torn apart and its head used as a football in the attack in May.
Prince Charles will rededicate the memorial, which commemorates those who gave their lives in the First World War, on Monday.
A special service will also be held at the church in Littlelands.
A spokesman from Buckingham Palace said the Prince was keen to offer his support to the church after reading reports of the vandalism.
";After reading about it he then looked into it further and kept up-to-date with how the situation progressed,"; he said.
";He was also sent letters from members of the church community, but it was the initial reports which spurred him on.";
Every pupil at Cottingley Village Primary will play a part in the event as each child made a yellow paper flower for the school's wreath which will be laid by the memorial. The school choir will also sing at the service.
An exhibition about the war and villagers who fought in it, which was researched by children at the school, will be displayed in the church foyer for Prince Charles to see. It will be open to the public from 6.30pm to 7.30pm.
Headteacher Tina Briggs said the attack spurred youngsters on to find out more about the village's involvement in the war. ";This is a big event for the children to see the future king in Cottingley,"; she said.
";They're very excited and it means a lot to them, especially after all the hard work they've done researching various aspects of the First World War.";
Prince Charles will also spend time talking with representatives from the schools, churches and community about the regeneration of Cottingley and plans to rebuild the 1960s church.
St Michael's vicar, the Reverend Sue Pinnington, said the whole village was gearing up for the Royal visit.
";We've all been extremely busy getting the church and the village ready and it's brought the whole of the community together,"; she said.
Tony Roche, of The Parade Fisheries and a member of Cottingley Community Association, said it was a real boost with everyone looking forward to the visit.
";It's all everyone is talking about and I've never seen the village look so clean and tidy,"; he said.
The original war memorial was put up in 1919 at the former church site next to The Sun Inn in Cottingley New Road and moved to Littlelands in 1967
Posted Saturday 28 September 2002
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