A "fallen" man

Sunday, 13 September 2009 08:00

How many men thrown from horses make promises they keep?

Walter de Laci did! The story goes - he was riding from Huddersfield to Halifax and was thrown from his horse into a swampy marsh.

Walter fallingcf. Psalms 69 & 130

He was very frightened he would not be rescued and vowed that if he was he would found a church at Huddersfield.

He was rescued cf. Psalms 18 & 30

He kept his promise! The church of St Peter was built around 1090 - 1100 and the current vicar, Catherine Ogle, painted the above, which are on display in the Church. The original church was probably a simple square, single room Norman church.

The church was rebuilt in the early 1500s with a tower and two storeys of windows. By 1830, this second Church was in a poor state. The architect who designed Huddersfield Station proposed constructing a crypt, extending the nave and building the tower higher to 120 feet. The original cost of £2,000 escalated to £10,000. Now where have I heard that story before? It is obviously not a modern phenomenon!

The new church was consecrated on 27th October 1836

Many of the stones were laid "the wrong way round" and have weathered badly. However, inside it is a monument to Victorian taste! The chancel was remodelled in 1924 as a memorial to those who died in World War I. Sir Ninian Comper created the canopy over the altar and designed the east window.

Nave of St Peter's Church towards chancel

West end from chancel

More alterations were done in the 1980s. The altar was brought forward and the crypt was converted into a café, now the Keys Restaurant.

Organ and pulpit

As we left, we saw what probably remains of the second church - the baptistry. The font is dated 1570 and the cover is from 1640.

Baptistry and the mechanism for raising the cover

A thousand years of Christian worship in Huddersfield must be admired but is sadly so easily dismissed by the passers by. We were glad to find it open.