ST ANNE'S PARISH CHURCH

121 Wrenthorpe Road, Wakefield, WF2 0JS

Contact: Reverend Ruth Harris

Tel: 01924 373758 Email: wrenvic121@talktalk.net

Work on St. Anne’s Church commenced in April 1873 and the consecration took place a year later. It cost £1,500 and was designed by the architect JT Micklethwaite.

The inscription below the large West window outside reads

‘Let no man despise our poverty for we have done what we could but rather let him amend our work and always pray for us’.

Wrenthorpe, in those days, was a working-class mining village and in no way prosperous. And yet £750 was raised towards the cost of the church before building had started, and over those early years many appeals for such things as a new organ, heating system and many repairs were generously met. It is a small church built by the local population when they wished to have their own local place of worship.

The inside of the church probably changed very little —until the reordering in 1990 and 1993. This changed the chancel area from its traditional setting into a more contemporary style. The ‘Children’s Corner’ was dedicated in 1929 and is now a corner for prayer and contemplation with another area being put to one side for young families to have space for movement during services. The original font was replaced in 1949 though we now use a central font for our baptisms —

There are several stained glass windows representing a number of saints including St George, St Hilda of Whitby as well as St Anne. One of the windows is a memorial to an RAF pilot lost in the war. The East windows contain stained glass by CE Kempe, although this was done when he was just 37 years of age and was still forming his distinctive style of the late 1870s onwards.

It is open for worship, occasional quiet days and always open Wednesday mornings, an oasis of calm not far out of the city centre.  On occasional Sunday evenings there is an informal praise service either at St Anne's or at the Methodist Church. After the 9.15 service on Wednesday there is tea and coffee and the church is open for anyone to call in until 12.00. Once a quarter the church is open for full days of quiet and reflection, look out for publicity. Once a month we hold a contemporary teenage worship event on a Wednesday evening. We have a Children's Church on a Sunday morning and have holiday workshops on Good Friday, Harvest and an all age Nativity service at Christmas (in addition to the Christmas Eve Christingle and Crib services)

The village war memorial stands on the external west wall and research has been undertaken about many of the men named on the list.

There are strong links with the uniformed organisations that meet in the Hall and regular Parade services are held when the youngsters take an active part in the service.

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