Study day 2017 Part IV: Church of St Michael, Mytholmroyd

Written by Sean Rawling

Our final visit of the day took us to the Grade II-listed St. Michael’s Church in Mytholmroyd (1847-1848), which was majorly affected by the Boxing Day floods of 2015. The rivers Elphin and Calder reached record heights, leaving 1.2m of water in the church and its adjacent hall, as well as causing devastation throughout the homes and businesses of Mytholmroyd. The Church still holds a relatively large congregation of between 60 and 80 people. It is difficult to imagine the heartache for those who not only lost their homes, but also their community building as a result of the flooding!

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Study day 2017 Part III: Church of St. Thomas the Apostle, Heptonstall

Written by Dan Edmunds

Following on from the visit to Heptonstall’s Wesleyan Methodist Chapel and Sunday school, the group made its way up to the village’s twin churches of St. Thomas. Upon arriving at the Church of St. Thomas the Apostle (1850-1854), the Churchwarden, Graham Kidd, gave us a brief context of the building.

The church is a good example of reflective and progressive approaches to architectural development.

Study day 2017 Part II: Heptonstall Methodist Chapel and Sunday School

Written by Eric Carter

The first site visit on the study tour was Hepstonstall Methodist Church (grade II*) and its neighbouring Sunday school building (unlisted but in the setting of a listed building). The church dates from 1764 and is said to be the oldest Methodist chapel in continual use (although apparently Yarm Chapel also makes this claim!). Originally the building was an interesting octagonal shape as approved by John Wesley, and used in a number of other Methodist chapels, but was extended in 1802. The Sunday school was built in 1891. Both buildings have significant condition problems.

Study day 2017 Part I: ‘The Scene Stands Stubborn’ – Churches and chapels in the Upper Calder Valley

Written by Eric Carter, Dan Edmunds & Sean Rawling, edited and introduced by Duncan Marks (all current York University MA in Conservation Studies students)

Reflecting recent developments in conservation, one of the running themes in the MA in Conservation Studies programme at York is the impact of climate change, and how this requires us to consider sustainability, retro-fitting, and post-disaster management of the built historic environment. Recently, too, the YCAA co-facilitated Resilient York, a successful day conference that explored ways in which York’s communities and historic buildings can be better prepared for the city’s frequent flooding.

It was therefore both timely and very much welcomed when YCAA member, Richard Storah of Storah Architecture, invited members, especially current MA students, to visit three sites in West Yorkshire’s beautiful Upper Calder Valley where he is leading restoration projects addressing different effects of climate change.

‘People Power! – Catalyst for Change’ IHBC Summer School 2016

Written by Angie Creswick

The weekend after the Brexit vote I attended the IHBC summer school in Worcester. At the conclusion of the event, where community engagement had been a recurring theme, I had a fascinating tour of three of Worcester’s Georgian churches. The conservation needs of these churches is being addressed through three very different approaches.