Harrogate Churches

Under construction

The churches of Harrogate number between 35 and 40 (new ones start and some come and go). Almost every one is listed on the Churches Together website.

The theology, musical styles and churchmanship of the churches ranges from high and low Anglican with a smattering of liberal churches, with charismatic and evangelicals represented in various forms.The history of Christianity in Harrogate dates back to the fifteenth century with early chapels in the area which is now called The Stray (or 200 acres). St John's chantry chapel was founded in 1439, later becoming Christ Church. Its church bell is now in the tower of West Park United Reformed Church (previously the Victoria Avenue Congregational church).

The Roman Catholic churches are Our Lady Immaculate and St Robert, with a chapel at St John Fisher RC High School, St Aelred of Rieveaulx and St Joseph's. A Polish congregation meets at St Robert's RC.

St Robert of Knaresborough, to whom the RC and Anglican church in Pannal are dedicated, was a hermit monk whose hermitage is a small tourist attraction near the River Nidd in Knaresborough.

The Anglican churches of Harrogate include Christ Church (High Harrogate), St John's (Bilton), St Peter's (Town Centre), St Wilfrid's (sometimes described as the cathedral of Harrogate), St Mark's and St Andrew's (Starbeck). St John's parish is united with St Luke's whose congregation has met in the church centre behind the original spired church building since its closure in 1977. All Saints (Harlow Hill) has close links with the nearby Methodists; it is a united benefice with St Mary's whose congregation meets in venues in the parish following the closure of the church building in 2005. The Anglican Deanery stretches to Birstwith and Wetherby, with churches in the villages of Hampsthwaite, Killinghall, Beckwithshaw, Kirby Overblow, Spofforth, Kirk Deighton and Little Ribston.

The churches of the Methodist Circuit range from the full balconied Wesley chapel in the town centre, the spired Trinity and old chapels of Bar and Grove Road along with Woodlands, Starbeck, Harlow Hill and Pannal; Hampsthwaite and Killinghall chapels complete the circuit.

Victoria Avenue in the town was designed to accommodate several churches along its length. Since the amalgamation of the Congregationalists and the Presbyterians, Victoria Avenue now has two United Reformed churches - St Paul's and West Park, the latter working towards an LEP with Harrogate Baptist Church on the same road. The Religious Society of Friends' Meeting House is found just off the end of this road.

The original Servants' Church for the town, set up by the churches as a mission hall, became the Evangelical Free Church. The trustees and congregation set up a new trust deed after the second millennium and changed the name to Mayfield Community Church.

The Elim Pentecostal church was one of the early charismatic churches, now joined by 'New Churches' including Harrogate New Life and Life Destiny. Woodfield Gospel Hall, Starbeck Mission and Jennyfield Evangelical churches follow an established evangelical line.

The mark of the ecumenical body, Churches Together in Harrogate, is its marketing approach to ecumenism. Describing churches in ways appropriate to 'customers' or those outside its regular congregations, the umbrella group maintains a website which categorises churches by BBC Radio station, includes lists of post codes to assist emergency services as well as visitors, provides an events diary which forms the basis of the Church Diary entry to the local newspaper as well as helping events organisers avoid date clashes. Much of its promotion work is through its website www.ctharrogate.org.uk.

[http://www.ctharrogate.org.uk]