Saint Bartholomew's Church, Ripponden

St Bartholomew's Church, Ripponden stands alongside the river Ryburn in the township of Barkisland.

The Church building

There have been 4 churches on the site:

1. The first wood and stone building was erected in 1464, when Thomas Wilkinson gave timber and stone for the construction of a free chapel which was built under Royal charter of Edward IV. It was consecrated around 1465
2. The Church was rebuilt and enlarged in 1610. It was consecrated after the Restoration in 1660.

   The stream Cob Clough ran under the Church into the Ryburn. The Church – near Ripponden Old Bridge – was badly damaged when the Ryburn flooded after a severe storm on 18th May 1722 - see The flood of 1722

3. The Church was rebuilt and opened in March 1731. See Mrs Elizabeth Ramsden.

   In 1845, it was said to be

   surrounded by one of the finest yew hedges in the country

   Because of decay, principally in the roof, the Church was closed in 1867. The last service was held on 28th April 1867. The building was demolished

4. The present building was consecrated by the Bishop of Ripon on 22nd October 1868. It was built by George Shaw. It opened in June 1870. Some pillars from the previous church were reused in the building.

   In 1868, Frederick Edward Rawson gave a new organ to the Church. In 1874, his wife installed a stained glass memorial window.

   One of the stained glass windows includes fragments from the original 1464 Church. Another window is in memory of William Dove.

   

   Features of the Church

   • The bells
   • The font
   • The windows

   In 1876, sparks from a fire at nearby Ripponden Mill set fire to the belfry at the Church.

   There is a wall memorial to John Howarth.

   On 10th January 1915, a stained glass window was unveiled in memory of Rev Joseph Gledhill.

   A new organ was installed in 1937.

   It is said that when the people of Barkisland refused to contribute towards the cleaning of the church clock, the clock facing Barkisland was left uncleaned

The records for the Church are held at the West Yorkshire Archive Service office in Wakefield (Collection WDP21): Baptisms [1684-1984], Marriages [1686-1985] and Burials [1684-1982].

A list of some of the Vicars of Saint Bartholomew's, Ripponden is given in a separate Foldout

See Chapel Farm, Ripponden, Chapel Field Mill, Ripponden, John Jagger, Ripponden Sunday School, Ripponden Vicarage, St Bartholomew's, Ripponden Memorial, St Bartholomew's, Ripponden: Churchwardens, St Bartholomew's, Ripponden: MIs, The flood of 1722 and St Bartholomew's, Ripponden: Graveyard

Page Ref: KK_115

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