YorkshireHUDDERSFIELDStPeter(kategilesPERMISSIONBYEMAIL)8 DrKateGiles

St Peter

Welcome to St Peter's, a fascinating early Victorian church serving its urban communities in the past and present, providing an open, warm welcome to all!

Huddersfield, Yorkshire

Opening times

Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm, Saturday 8am to 2pm.

Address

Byram Street
Huddersfield
Yorkshire
HD1 1BU

This is a fascinating Grade II* church rebuilt by the architect Thomas Taylor (1778-1826) in 1816 to 1819 to serve the rapidly-growing urban population of Huddersfield including the middle-class villages and terraces of Mountjoy Road. However, its origins date back to Domesday and to several local landowning families including the founders of the church, the de Lacy family. Little of this first church survives, as it was rebuilt between 1503-1506, perhaps preserving earlier features of the church including the chancel and aisles. Traces of this second building survive, along with fragments of heraldic stained glass and ledger slabs in the chancel, 16th century font and 17th century font cover.

The present church, however, is largely a product of the early Victorian rebuilding. Under the nave and aisles is a large crypt and around the walls are the remains of Victorian galleries. The present building was designed by JP Pritchett and was built in 1836, a magnificent 135 foot tower dominates the skyline. The tower was built higher than normal proportions to allow the clock to be seen from all aspects of the town. Pritchett was a leading nonconformist chapel builder and the original internal layout was that of a Georgian preaching house. The building was reordered in 1955 by Peter Wright and Martin Phelps, when many of the Victorian fittings and fixtures were removed. Today, the view from the west end of the church is dominated by the ‘baldachino’ - a painted and gilded screen behind the altar which was created as a First World War Memorial in and designed by the famous early 20th century architect Sir Ninian Comper. Other highlights of the church building include its arch braced roof and painted roof bosses, choir stalls and organ, ‘Mousy’ Thompson furniture and screen in the Leeper Chapel.

Today, the church offers a warm welcome to all, with regular services, outreach activities and a wonderful cafe in the crypt, together with facilities for hire by local creative and charitable groups.

  • Captivating architecture

  • Enchanting atmosphere

  • Glorious furnishings

  • Magnificent memorials

  • Spectacular stained glass

  • Accessible toilets in church

  • Bus stop within 100m

  • Café within 500m

  • Car park at church

  • Dog friendly

  • Level access to the main areas

  • On street parking at church

  • Parking within 250m

  • Ramp or level access available on request

  • Space to secure your bike

  • Walkers & cyclists welcome

  • A diverse range of services from Holy Communion (BCP), Sung and Said Eucharists, Choral Evensong, ‘Holy Ground’ Contemporary Contemplative service and Bible Study groups. More details on our website.

  • Church of England

  • Repair Grant, £15,000, 2010

  • Our Repair Grants funded urgent repair work to help keep churches open.

  • Repair Grant, £40,000, 2011

  • Our Repair Grants funded urgent repair work to help keep churches open.

  • Repair Grant, £10,000, 2013

  • Our Repair Grants funded urgent repair work to help keep churches open.

Contact information

Other nearby churches

Holy Trinity

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Our church building, opened in 1819 originally seated 1500, oday the interior has been tastefully reordered to make it suitable for a wider range of activities for people of all ages; there are activities most days of the week and the church is opened regularly for viewing.

St John the Evangelist

Birkby, Yorkshire

Built between 1851 and 1853 at a time when the town was rapidly expanding and prosperous, the church is vast, with a magnificent tower with octagonal spire reaching to some 220 feet high, a landmark which can be seen for many miles around. 

Moldgreen URC

Moldgreen, Yorkshire

This church was established in 1865 and the original building, having been extended in 1891 remained in constant use until 1989, when it was demolished.