St Mary Magdalene, East Keswick
The churches of All Hallows and St Mary Magdalene, in the Parish of Bardsey with East Keswick are within walking distance of each other, in the villages of Bardsey and East Keswick respectively, as the parish name suggest. All Hallows is a Grade 1 listed building, dating back to the 9th Century, with later Saxon additions, whilst St Mary Magdalene wasn't built until the latter part of the 19th Century, even though in 1739 the philanthropist Lady Elizabeth Hastings bequeathed a tithe of £50 per annum on condition a church was erected in East Keswick. It is not known why this came to nothing at that time.
In the period between 1100 and 1400 All Hallows saw the adding, and the later widening, of a north and south aisle and the moving of a Norman doorway, to its present position at the west end of the south aisle. This magnificent Norman doorway is now partly obscured by the much later addition of a porch but still clearly shows the architectural typical features of early Norman construction. A north chapel, which now serves as the Vicar’s Vestry, was built in 1521 as a Chantry Chapel at the request of Edmund Mauleverer of Wothersome. He and his son Robert were interred beneath it. There is much to view in this special place, for as well as its historic artifacts the church also holds the Bardsey Millennium Tapestry. Stitched by Bardsey people, it is an artwork of four panels displaying in great detail village life through the four seasons of the year.
St Mary Magdalene started to become a reality, when in the 1850’s subscriptions were raised for a church on Moor Lane, in East Keswick. The land was donated by the 3rd Earl of Harewood and plans drawn up by Mallinson and Healey, a firm of ecclesiastical architects from Bradford. Work started in 1856, using stone from Vicar's Whin, a nearby quarry. It was not until 1861 that the church and churchyard were consecrated allowing burials to take place. By 1873 a resident curate was installed in what is now ‘The Old Parsonage’ and finally in 1899 a licence was granted for marriages to take place at St Mary Magdalene. In 1934 a new vestry was built and it was found necessary to extend the churchyard in 1946. In the 1950’s a major refurbishment began with the purchase of altar rails from Thompson's of Kilburn and over the next 20 years pews and other furniture were replaced from the same workshop, most bearing the trademark ‘mouse’ carving.
Visitors to both churches are welcome to make use of the libraries inside, which hold many contemporary spiritual books for inspirational reading and smaller booklets which can be taken away. Prayer leaflets are also available near the entrance to the churches, which once again may be read and taken away.
Both church are blessed with large churchyards, where parts allow nature to find its own balance, although they are managed in a neat a tidy manner in to respect those who are buried there. The recent addition of fruit trees is aimed at improving their overall biodiversity. The parish is committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030 and both churches have achieved Silver Eco awards under the A Rocha Eco Church UK Project – it is hoped that visitors will see evidence of the work, promoting environmental sustainability as they walk around the church and gardens.
Both churches are members of the 'Inclusive Church Network' and welcome everyone, without exception. They are open from 10 am to 4 pm every day. Services are held most Sunday mornings. For more information on service times see the website.
Both Saint Mary Magdalene and All Hallows church, in the Parish of Bardsey with East Keswick, are committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO). The Diocese of Leeds’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) who advise our PSOs. If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the DSA. If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority Children or Adults Services.
