Following on from your article about the Hunslet Parish Church Clock. Did you know that there has been a Parish Church in Hunslet since 1629?
The present church was rebuilt from the original stone of the previous church which originated back to 1864. The tower, which houses the clock, is a Grade 2 listed building, but the spire needs funding of around £200,000 in order to restore and repair it and make it safe. Unfortunately the church is also in the same state of disrepair, due mainly to poor planning at the last rebuild and will without a doubt be closing it’s doors in the not too distant future.
CAN WE SAVE OUR PARISH CHURCH IN HUNSLET?
There have been talks and meetings and ideas and some suggestions are to demolish the church and redevelop the site with a community hall, some social ‘green’ housing and possible school expansion and then a smaller place of worship being built onto the tower. These ideas, of course, need funding and a positive buy-in from the Diocese, the Council and/or an interested housing association. With new homes and school places in big demand at the moment in Hunslet, isn’t it time to act and do something positive with the Church site and give the people of Hunslet a base, a meeting place, community functions in a brand new community hall and at the same time benefit the school with possible expansion and provide some much needed extra social housing at the same time keeping a place of worship open for the people of Hunslet.
I have been a worshipping member of Hunslet Parish Church for the last 32 years and will be really unhappy to see it closed forever. I am Guider-in-Charge of a thriving Rainbow, Brownie, Guide and Senior Section membership and we are well supported by those girls’ parents and it is fortunate for us that Mr Ford (Head Teacher) at Hunslet St Mary’s school has offered us a home base within the school. Please offer your support for our church on Facebook: Hunslet Parish Church.
This post was written by Pamela Clark using our Create an article for South Leeds Life page.
