A historic Victorian church on the Newby Hall estate, Ripon, is set for a new lease of life – as a huge renovation project is launched.
The Church of Christ the Consoler was built in the early 1870s in memory of the son of Lady Mary Vyner of Newby Hall who was killed during his attempted rescue from kidnappers in Greece.
Organised by the estate and local villagers, the renovation priorities will include reinstating the church’s boiler and heating system – which has not worked for 30 years – and restoring the church’s Thomas C Lewis organ.
The campaign group is made up of representatives from the Newby Hall estate and Skelton cum Newby Parish Council and needs to raise more than £15,000 to reinstate the church’s heating system.
Parish Council chairman Guy Critchlow said: “The church is in a beautiful location and has some of the finest stained glass in the country. Recommissioning the heating system is the first step to help stabilise the stained glass.
“Our aim is to bring life to the church through events and raise much needed funds for its restoration and conservation.”
The church’s single bell has already been restored and re-strung and now rings for the first time in over 20 years.
To deliver these key renovation projects, there will be a series of fundraising events happening at the church.
The Friends of Christ the Consoler is finalising a programme of events including music, theatre and services for 2024. They will be hosting the following performances:
- Sunday 31 March: Easter Sunday Family Service with Easter Egg hunt
- Thursday 25 April: Fifi La Mer – A Journey into French Music
- Saturday 29 June: 58 Jazz Collective
- Saturday 13 July: Albert Lau – An international Steinway pianist
- Saturday 20 July: Canzona Quartet with the former NCO lead, Nicholas Ward
- Sunday 22 September: Harvest Festival & Celebrating the Farming Community
- Thursday 5 December: This Is My Theatre presents Dickens’ A Christmas Carol
- Sunday 15 December: A Festival of Carols
Newby Hall will reopen on Thursday 28 March with a packed programme of Easter events – including a family-fun woodland Olympic Easter trail and children’s theatre performances.