Grange Moor Church

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Throughout the history of Kirkheaton Church, the Beaumont family from Whitley have been present to a greater or lesser degree.
This connection led to the forming of a daughter Church at Grange Moor. Misses Kitty and Olive Beaumont had the idea of forming a blanket club, which met in the dressmaker’s cottage.
The first church service was held here in 1894, attended amongst others by two Kirkheaton Churchwardens who lived at Grange Moor they were Mr George Roberts J.P and Mr Lister Milner.The service continued for 12 month, and then moved into the schoolrooms. The chapel was already in existence (non conformist) but anyone wishing to attend a Church had to walk to Lower Whitley or Kirkheaton.

In the schoolroom the school furniture was used, and the clergy from neighbouring parishes took turns to lead the service. In 1897 a grant was made from Kirkheaton Church bazaar, held in the Town Hall, towards the building of a Church in Grange Moor.

The Beaumont’s of Whitley Hall gave the land on which to build the church, and the work was started. Various sewing parties held in the homes around the parish raised the money. On June 10^th 1898 the church was consecrated by Bishop Seaton, second Bishop of Wakefield, and dedicated to Saint Bartholomew whose Saint day was nearest to the stone laying ceremony.

In 1903 bricks were put for sale at a shilling each, in order to provide the schoolrooms at the side of the church, and the rooms were completed in 1904. In this year, Miss Kitty Beaumont married the then curate of Kirkheaton, the Rev W. Outram. The Churchyard was opened in 1914, the land having again been given by the Beaumont family. To help offset the expense the choir went carol singing and there was the usual round of Church teas, garden parties, social and subscriptions. The Church is still served by the Kirkheaton clergy, and is still subject to the mother church. It has never been licensed for marriage, and Grange Moor residents still marry at Kirkheaton.