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St Aelred of Rievaulx St Aelred, 1110 - 1167, is linked with the
Cistercian abbey of Rievaulx in North Yorkshire, founded in 1131, of which he
became abbot from 1147 until his death.
As the head of a large Christian community, St Aelred guided his monks
to live their fraternity with each other in the light of their friendship
with Christ, enabling them to live a community life in truth and love. His
wisdom holds out great light for our days too: "It is no small consolation in this life to
have someone you can unite with you in an intimate affection and the embrace
of a holy love, someone in whom your spirit can rest, to whom you can pour
out your soul, to whose pleasant exchanges, as to soothing songs, you can fly
in sorrow, to those in whose friendship, amidst the many troubles of the
world, you can safely retire. ... A man who can shed tears with you in your
worries, be happy with you when things go well, search out with you the
answers to your problems, whom with the ties of charity you can lead into the
depths of your heart." St Aelred, pray for us. The parish of St Aelred
is devoted to the worship of God through many services and midweek
activities. From the Prayer and Praise hour to the Luncheon Club, supporting
third world coffee growers and small producers through Traidcraft and running
a library, St Aelred's is being salt and light in the community.
The original church (circa 1944) -
now the Parish Hall In 1892 it was reported that over 100 new houses
has been built in Starbeck in three years. Starbeck at that time was a
separate village between Harrogate and Knaresborough. The parish of St
Aelred’s was founded in 1910 when Fr A Saxton of St Roberts celebrated Mass
in the Old Hall, High Street Starbeck with an attendance of 32 people. The
numbers increased rapidly and the first church dedicated to St Aelred of
Rievaulx in the Diocese of Leeds was built in 1912 to hold about 150
people. Fr Austin Saxton having engaged W H H Marten to design the Lady
Chapel at his church St Robert’s now employed him for the new church of St
Aelred to accommodate the growing population of Starbeck. The church was a
neat, neo-gothic building, but with reference to Marten’s Arts and Crafts
with hand-made bricks, stone dressings and external rendering.
St Aelred's Parish Church and Hall In 1957 a new church was built, next to the old,
large enough to accommodate the increasing congregation, designed by R S
Ronchetti and was opened by Fr F J Bennett. The foundation stone was laid by
the then Bishop of Leeds J C Heenan who went on to become Cardinal Archbishop
of Westminster. The layout of the church has hardly altered since
it was built. The Baptismal font has moved from the rear of the church to the
front and the Altar rails have been moved. In 1992 the Lady Chapel, on the
north side of the church, became an adoration chapel for the Blessed
Sacrament. New stained glass windows for this chapel were designed as a
Parish Millennium Project and added in 2001. The old church continued to be used as a parish
hall, and in 1993 was refurbished; a new kitchen and new toilets being built
on to the original structure. This building continues to support many parish
activities. The parish, one of three Catholic parishes in the
town, serves the eastern side of Harrogate as well as the wider Catholic
community and also the chaplaincy at the Harrogate District Hospital. There have been three presbyteries. The first was
122, Stonefall Avenue. It then moved to the bungalow next to the church on
Woodlands Drive. The present presbytery, 71 Woodlands Drive, was built in
1956.
The
first Baptism was Sylvia Crompton on 6 April 1913 she was 1 month old. On 10 October 1937 the first confirmations took place when
Bishop Henry John Poskitt confirmed 42 people, 24 girls & 18 boys. The first wedding took place on 26 December 1940
when Percival Richard Todd, a Knaresborough man, married Helen Brennan of
Starbeck. |
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The Adoration Chapel windows; a Millennium project designed and installed by parishioners in 2001.