Where now for Harrogate's much-loved St Mary's Church after decades of decline and deterioration

In fact, progress towards the long-awaited redevelopment may finally be on the cards for of one of Harrogate’s most beautiful churches whose original foundation stone was laid on Westcliffe Grove on September 4, 1822.

After two decades in which St Mary’s Church has stood largely derelict as owners and plans have come and gone, concern has risen in recent weeks, not only among local residents but also their local councillor and the town’s MP.

All are keen to seek clarification about the Grade II listed building’s future from its latest owners.

Coun Sam Gibbs, representing Harrogate Valley Gardens ward on Harrogate Borough Council, said everyone who cared for the lovely stone building designed in 14th century English gothic style, now urgently wanted to see the church redeveloped in an appropriate fashion.

Coun Gibbs said: “The building is crumbling, literally, having not being built correctly in the first place a long time ago.

“Serious restoration is going to need to take place and the longer that is put off, the more difficult and expensive it is going to be.

“There is a risk it will become an eyesore rather than the beautiful building it is supposed to be, or worse it could become dangerous.”

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has now drawn the matter to the attention of Historic England, which protects the most important historic places in England.

Mr Jones said: “I was pleased to lend my support to residents in the past on issues to do with St Mary’s and I am pleased to do so again.

“I have written to Historic England to highlight what is happening with St Mary’s Church and its setting and to ask them what action they can take.”

Part of current concern is confusion over who now owns St Mary’s Church, located on a street off Cold Bath Road, and what they intend to do with it.

The church had stood empty and unused for more than a decade before the Church of England sold it to Harrogate architectural firm Shaw & Jagger Architects Ltd, a conservation-led practice based at Regent Parade in 2018.

A planning application was submitted for the proposed mixed commercial use of the building, including the creation of a car park which provoked some reservations from some residents.

But when the Harrogate Advertiser spoke to Shaw and Jagger’s managing director Francis Shaw RIBA, he said the property had since been sold on.

Mr Shaw said: “Shaw and Jagger Architects sold St Mary’s Church in November 2019.

“We retain ownership of the vestry, the single storey structure at the end of the building, which we have permission to use as offices.”

St Mary's Church: What sparked current worries & hope for the future

The latest alarm was sounded earlier this month by residents who noticed bushes and trees being chopped down and heard banging inside the building.

Resident Matthew Weller, who is a member of Westcliffe Harlow Defence Group, said: “Our objectives are simple - to preserve the surroundings of a grade II listed building of significant cultural, historical and communal importance and to ensure that the current developers cease the destruction of trees protected within a conservation area until a settlement can be reached with the local residents, Harrogate Borough Council and the current owners of St Mary’s Church.”

But progress may be closer at hand than anyone suspected and the long-running saga of this much-loved Victorian building may yet have a happy ending.

The building already has planning permission from 2017 for a conversion to offices, studio, gallery and a flat.

Before selling the main part of the church, Shaw & Jagger Architects Ltd spent two years planning a sympathetic wholesale redevelopment of St Mary’s into tasteful offices.

The Harrogate-based firm even made repairs to ensure the church’s condition was stabilised and improved after fears over damp and the state of the building's stonework led St Mary's Church to be put on the Historic England 'Buildings at Risk Register.'

Although the stone work is eroding from the inside, the situation is not beyond repair.

In fact, Mr Shaw said, it was only this respected firm's failure to win expected grants that ultimately stopped them going ahead with the larger redevelopment.

He added that the company retained an office in the vestry, which it still owns, partly as a sign of faith that a respectful redevelopment of the main part of the church by its new owners was still a possibility.

St Mary's Church: What Harrogate councillor says

Coun Gibbs said the Harrogate Borough Council’s Planning enforcement team were now monitoring the situation at the church and any work going on.

He added that the council had also put Tree Preservation Orders in place on the remaining mature trees at the site.

But Coun Gibbs also said he fully supported plans for a mixed use St Mary's Church and its grounds.

He said “The original planning application was granted back in 2015, I think it was, was for a mix of residential and commercial use.

“I agree with the concept of a mix of uses and it would be nice if the final design had some ‘public’ aspect to it, so nearby residents or visitors could still enter or, perhaps, to access a public space in the gardens or the building itself.

“Ultimately what is important is that it is brought back in to use.”

As a grade II listed building, St Mary’s Church in Harrogate is subject not only to the usual planning rules but, in addition, to regulations which protect its historical and architectural significance.

Alterations and building work cannot be carried out without written consent from the relevant authorities.

The future of St Mary's Church: What Harrogate Civic Society says

Harrogate Civic Society says it would welcome proposals for the sensitive re-use of St Mary’s Church, which would preserve its architectural and historic significance, whilst securing the future of the building and enabling essential repairs to be undertaken.

Susan Amaku and Stuart Holland, co vice chairs, said: “The church of St Mary is a Grade II * listed building that is also a landmark structure in the Harrogate Conservation Area.

"Built c1916, it has an unfortunate history of technical issues, with deterioration of the stone from an early date.

"It is on the Historic England Buildings at Risk Register due to its poor condition and vacant state.

"We were generally in support of the scheme that was granted consent in 2017, for conversion to offices, studio, gallery and a flat - albeit we had reservations about the relocation of the Lofthouse memorial.

"Since that date the ownership of the building has been split, resulting in the 2019 applications, which we were unable to support - primarily due to the adverse impact of a new access and additional parking, on the setting of the listed building and the character and appearance of the conservation area.

"We were concerned to learn of the recent felling of several trees on the site but pleased that the remaining mature trees are to be protected with a Tree Preservation Order.

“It is important that that the future of the whole listed building is secure.

"We would welcome clarification on whether the current building works accord with the 2017 planning consents.”

St Mary's Church: A rich history beginning in the 19th century

Hailed by some as “a fine example of Victorian Neo-Gothic architecture,” the foundation stone for St Mary’s Church in Harrogate was laid on September 4, 1822.

Funded by a grant from the Commissioners of the Million Act, it had 800 seats and was assigned as a parish in 1830.

But, by 1903, it had been declared unsafe.

A replacement church was constructed in 1916 in 14th century English gothic style to designs by the architect Walter Tapper.

Such is St Mary’s Church’s reputation, it features in The Buildings of England. North Yorkshire by renowned British architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner.

The stone vaulted south chapel contains a tomb and memorial to St Mary’s founder Richard Chapman Lofthouse (1832–1907) who was Deputy Surgeon General of the British Army and served in the Crimean War and the Indian Mutiny. After falling into disuse, it was finally declared a ‘redundant church’ by the Church of England in the Noughties.

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