Halifax Minster - Features

Features

• The Font Cover is a fine feature surviving from the Medieval period, and is acknowledged to be one of the finest in England. The stone font bowl may also date from the fifteenth century, or earlier. Before 1879 traces of paint could be seem on both font and cover, and it was once most ornately gilded. The cover was originally intended to prevent people from stealing the baptismal water kept in the font, which was supposed to have curative powers.

• The wooden sedilia date in the sanctuary dates from 15th century, and was restored in 1879. It contains three fine misericords, and was possibly brought here from some nearby abbey - such as Kirkstall - after Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries.

• Six other 15th century misericords - including a “green man” are located under the chancel’s return stalls; whilst not so fine as those of the sedilia, they are most interesting.

• Very fine late 17th century altar rails, with a fine double-spiral carving. The altar was first railed-in by 1665, but “banisters in the choir” are mentioned in 1671, and “twisted banisters” in 1698.

• A wonderful series of painted ceiling panels - representing the heraldry of the vicars and famous families of Halifax Parish. These were originally painted by John Aked and James Hoyle, and were put in place between about 1695 and 1703, but were repainted in the 1820s, and cleaned after World War II.

• Two Royal Coats of Arms of Queen Anne, dating from 1705. They were carved by the same John Aked, and details as to their cost survives.

• “Old Tristram” stands watch near the entrance. A life-size figure holding the Parish Alms box, he was carved in wood by John Aked about 1701. It is believed the carving represents a real person, who is said to have begged in the church precincts. There are very few figures of this type in the whole of Britain.

• The Bishop Ferrar Memorial dating from 1847 is a feature of the western wall of the south aisle. From Halifax Parish, Bishop Ferrar of St David’s was earlier the last prior of Nostell Priory. He was burnt at the stake at Carmarthen in 1555. The sculpture is by Branwell Brontë’s great friend Joseph Bentley Leyland.

• A painted bust of Dr. John Favour, vicar 1593-1624 is adjacent to the Ferrar Monument. He was a celebrated Physician and Lawyer too; and was the founder of Heath School, Halifax.

• The Wellington Chapel. Halifax was the home of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment, which is now the 3rd battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment. In 1951 the church’s south choir aisle was adopted by the Regiment as its chapel. Among the Regimental Colours previously displayed were those carried at Waterloo and those borne during the Crimean War and Abyssinian campaign. These Colours have now been placed in a protective stand of drawers that will remain in the church.

• A pulpit on wheels! This was given in 1879 in memory of Archdeacon Charles Musgrave (vicar 1827-75), by members of his family.

• The recently rediscovered tombstone of Anne Lister of Shibden Hall (1791–1840), a noted local diarist, who died in the Caucasus region of Georgia. The stone is damaged and is currently in the Rokeby Chapel.

• On the west wall near the tower is a list of former rectors and vicars. The most famous were Hubert Walter who later became Archbishop of Canterbury, and William Rokeby who became Archbishop of Dublin.

In 1878 and 1879 a great internal restoration of the church took place, under the leadership of Vicar Francis Pigou (1875–88). This involved the removal of obtrusive galleries, and plaster from the internal walls.

A more recent reordering scheme took place in 1983, when pews at the east end of the nave were removed, and a dais installed for the nave altar. At the Millennium after an Appeal, Victorian pews were removed from the west end of the church, to provide an open and attractive reception area, with adjacent fitted kitchen.

Outside the Minster - have a look at the gargoyles. The one nearest to you to the left of the porch represents the man who played the bagpipes on the gibbet before the condemned man laid down his head for the last time. Also, have a look at the tombstone of John Logan. This is to the right as you leave the south door, at the foot of the wall beneath the westernmost window of the south aisle, and below the sundial. After reading the inscription you may well feel that it should end ... “Respect the soldier’s wives.”

On Saturday the (31 March 2007) the stand of the 1st Battalion, Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding) Regulation colours, taken out of service in 2002, in Osnabrück, Germany, at the Regiments Tercentenary parade, were laid up in the Parish church. The Colour party, with 2 escorts of 40 troops, Had marched through Halifax from the Town hall, preceded by the Regimental Drums and the Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band. There was a short ceremony in the Minster grounds where the Troops were inspected by the then Mayor of Halifax, Councillor Colin Stout, and the Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire Dr Ingrid Roscoe.