The church of St Wilfrid Harrogate has been serving the community since it’s consecration in 1914. Designed by Temple Lushington Moore (1856-1920), the church was built as the parish church for the Duchy Estate. At the time, there was no Anglo-Catholic church in Harrogate, so St Wilfrid’s was to be built in this tradition, funded largely by generous High-Anglican individuals who visited or lived in the town.
Temple Moore had visited many abbeys of the north and the continent, and developed his own Gothic style which led to him becoming one of the leading church architects of Victorian times. During his long career, he designed over 40 churches, including many in Yorkshire. St Wilfrid’s was left unfinished at his death in 1920, but his extremely able son-in-law, who had become a partner in the firm Temple Moore & Moore completed the Lady Chapel, the Parish Hall and the vergers cottage in the 1930’s.
St Wilfrid Harrogate was listed as a Grade 1 building in 1975.
Young Wilfs is a friendly church group for primary school aged children which takes place during Sunday Mass. We meet at 10am in the church and during the entrance hymn, we make our way to the Parish Hall for stories, games, crafts and fun!
The session always reflects the worship in church in a positive and exciting way, giving the children a wonderful introduction to the Christian faith. The children then return to their families before the end of the service for communion or blessing. Please come along and join us one Sunday, we love welcoming new members! There’s no need to book – just turn up on the day.
We also have toys and games at the back of the church for babies and pre-schoolers.
In 2018, to commemorate the end of the First World War, a team of volunteers at St Wilfrid Harrogate started to research the lives of the 18 men who have WWI memorials in church.
17 of them are named on the triptych war memorial, and one has a dedication on a lectern.
This research has helped us to remember these men more fully, and acknowledge the terrible sacrifice they and their families made in the war.
St Wilfrid’s church has eight bells, for change-ringing, in the central tower. The heaviest six bells, cast from redundant bells from High Hoyland, were installed in 1973 and two more were added in 1977 to complete the octave.
The tenor (heaviest bell) weighs 6cwt
and 3lbs and is tuned to C. Additionally there is a sanctus bell in the South-East tower.
The bells are rung regularly before the Parish Mass (between 9.30am and 10am) and the bell ringers practice on Wednesday (7pm to 9pm). They are also rung occasionally for special services and are available for weddings.
At St Wilfrid’s, we always welcome new recruits to our team. You don’t have to be strong or an accomplished musician but must enjoy taking on new challenges and be committed to serving the church community in this unique way.
For more information, please feel free to contact either Mike Woodhall (bells@stwilfrid.org) or visit the Harrogate Bell Ringing website here.
“The main idea is to broadcast locally that a service is about to happen in church. The fact that we enjoy the process of ringing bells, is a bonus. We aim to teach all who are willing to learn. We also try to improve the range of methods(tunes) we can ring. St Wilfrid’s belongs to the Yorkshire Association of Change Ringers, so we can be involved with other bands of ringers. We would welcome anyone who wants to join us,everybody learns at a different pace and there is no pressure to learn quickly, more an emphasis on enjoying the excercise of ringing the bells”.Kath Day
Team Rector – Fr Gary Waddington SSC
Fr Gary grew up just over 20 miles away from St Wilfrid’s, in Skipton and has been Team Rector since 2010.
He studied for priestly ordination at St Stephen’s House in Oxford before becoming the Curate in the Parish of Holy Spirit, Southsea. He then served for 10 years as Vicar of Paulsgrove, a large area of significant deprivation on the northern edge of the city of Portsmouth and was also Succentor at Portsmouth Cathedral. A member of both the deanery and diocesan synods, he taught some theology in the Diocese and tutored candidates for ordination; sat on the DAC (which deals with church faculty applications) and was a member of the fabric committee at Portsmouth Cathedral.
Fr Gary was for ten years a member of the Church of England’s Liturgical Commission (which amongst other things is responsible for all the Common Worship books) and was a co-chair of one of the national groups for Fresh Expressions.
He is a trustee of the Moulesdale trust which supports ordinands and clergy in the Diocese of Leeds. He is a clergy work consultant in the Ripon Episcopal Area and continues to mentor and supervise ordination candidates.
Since 2015 he has been a “Proctor in Convocation” which is Church speak for a clergy member of The General Synod of the Church of England.
Spare time is taken up with music, modern art, cooking and a great interest in Modern British and American Politics.
Honorary Assistant Priest – Fr Gavin Gilchrist
Fr Gavin grew up in Hull and studied theology at Kings College, London. After completing his training at Mirfield, Fr Gavin was ordained priest in 1978 and went on to be Parish Priest successively in Blackpool, Carlisle and Whitley Bay, retiring in 2018. He was married to Lorna in 1975; they have three children and seven grandchildren. Whilst ‘retired’ he is an Honorary Assistant Priest here, bringing his considerable experience of parish ministry to the team.
Assistant Priest – Fr Terry Buckingham
Fr Terry is delighted to have returned to St Wilfrid’s, where he served between 2003 & 2009, after a tour of duty in Nidd and inner-city Leeds (another St Wilfrid’s!). He divides his time between living in Guiseley with his wife Elizabeth, close to their children and grandchildren, and his day to day work practising optometry in Ilkley. He is the Assistant Priest here, covering one of the weekday masses and helping on Sundays.
Assistant Curate – Fr David Povall
Fr David is the newest member of the team and is our Assistant Curate and working closely with Fr Gary who is his supervisor. Fr David is a practicing Barrister in his working life, and then helps out where he can during the week and on Sundays. He was ordained as a priest in the summer of 2021, so is still in the phase of being ‘new’ and doing things for the first time! He’s married, with a grown up Son. Having lived for many years in London, he’s enjoying having escaped to God’s own county.
Honorary Assistant Priest – Fr Tim Burrell
Fr Tim was born in 1943. He trained for ministry at St Stephen’s House, Oxford and was ordained Deacon in 1974 and served a curacy at Haltwhistle in Northumberland. It was, however, not until 2007 that he was ordained priest in St Wilfrid’s where he is a non-stipendiary member of staff. Fr Tim is a retired civil servant and now serves as a magistrate as well as being the chaplain to the Bishop of Beverley. He is married to Jill and they have adult children.
Parish Administrator – Mrs Alison Povall
Alison joined the staff of St Wilfrids in November 2022. She is married to the curate, Fr David and they a grown up son.
Alison runs the parish office and ensures the smooth working of the parish. She works part time and is normally available Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 1pm.
Her job is to help resource those making enquiries, provide administrative support to the parish clergy and ensure the smooth running of the office. At any time Alison is overseeing the administrative process for active weddings, funerals, as well as keeping track of the 600 or so regular services at St Wilfrid’s each year.
Facilities & Commercial Manager – Mrs Rebecca Oliver
Rebecca joined the staff of St Wilfrid’s in March 2016, and brings a wealth of experience in marketing and social media skills as well as having run her own businesses for 12 years prior to joining St Wilfrid’s.
She is responsible for overseeing the day to day operations of all non-liturgical events at St Wilfrid’s. Her role ranges from managing regular hall bookings to booking and managing large scale events in Church. Alongside the management and marketing of the facility, these responsibilities extend to writing, maintaining, and developing working policies and agreements to ensure that St Wilfrid’s is adhering its legal requirements. This also supports her role as Health and Safety officer for the church.
Director of Music – Anthony Gray
Anthony Gray (b. 1996) is an organist, choral director and composer based in Yorkshire. He is Director of Music of St Wilfrid’s Church, Harrogate, Director of the Fairfax Singers, Organ Tutor for the Diocese of Leeds, Assistant Director of The Florence International Singing Programme and the Piano Tutor at Rishworth and Heathfield schools. He graduated as Organ Scholar of Robinson College, Cambridge, Organist for St. John’s Voices and Accompanist of Cambridgeshire Choral Society. He co-founded and directed The Robinson Consort, focussing on contemporary repertoire, and toured to destinations including East Asia, Switzerland, Portugal and the St-Remy-En-Provence Opera Festival. He has been Musical Director of acclaimed theatre productions including The Duchess of Malfi, Joseph and his own co-authored A Very Brexit Musical at the Edinburgh Fringe. He was shortlisted in the final of the BBC Radio 3 Carol Competition 2019 with his setting of ‘Go To The Child’, and his music is performed across the country.
Assistant Organist – Peter Brand
Born in Preston, Peter Brand graduated from the University of Leeds in Summer 2007 with an honours degree in music, having served as Edward Boyle Organ Scholar. This position was also combined with that of an Alto Lay Clerk in the professional choir at Leeds Parish Church. During this time he received organ tuition from The City Organist, Dr. Simon Lindley. At the Parish Church he was privileged to perform in The Battle of the Organs alongside Prof. Ian Tracey and David Houlder for three consecutive years. Peter has been involved with church and organ music since the age of eight as a member of the famous choir at Broughton, St John Baptist near Preston under the direction of John Catterall MBE, receiving organ tuition from Ian Seddon. A former pupil at Hutton Grammar School, he was a member of the large Chamber Choir. In Yorkshire, Peter has accompanied choirs and congregations at most major churches across Leeds. Peter has held Organist positions in a number of churches and has had much experience of directing Parish Church Choirs across the city, including: Holy Trinity, Meanwood; St. Aidan’s church, Harehills and St. Michael & All Angels, Headingley. As a trained teacher, Peter has worked in secondary music education for over 11 years. He now is taking a break from the classroom to complete a law conversion course. His interests include walking, camping, and cooking. Peter is married to Lucy and has two young daughters…. And two cats (Hildegard von Bingen and Bairstow).