Jesmond Parish Church

Jesmond Parish Church is a parish church in the Church of England situated in Brandling Village in the Jesmond suburb of Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England. The church's official name is the Clayton Memorial Church and is unusual among Anglican parish churches in not being named after either a saint who appears in the church's calendar or a person of the Trinity. This reflects the church's conservative Evangelical roots. It is a grade II listed building.[1]

Clayton Memorial Church, Jesmond
DenominationChurch of England
ChurchmanshipConservative Evangelical
Websitejpc.org.uk
Administration
ProvinceProvince of York
DioceseDiocese of Newcastle
ArchdeaconryArchdeaconry of Northumberland
DeaneryNewcastle Central
ParishJesmond, Clayton Memorial
Clergy
Vicar(s)David Holloway
Minister(s)Jonathan Pryke
AssistantJonathan Redfearn, Ian Garrett
Laity
Youth ministry coordinatorDaniel McBride

History

The church had a slightly unusual beginning. 1856 saw the death of the Rev Richard Clayton, Master of St Thomas' Church in Haymarket and a local Evangelical luminary. In his place the church authorities wished to appoint Clement Moody a high church successor who was out of sympathy with Clayton's Reformed Evangelical principles. A large number of the congregation of St Thomas's were deeply unhappy. A committee was formed with the intention of planting a new church nearby, which "will form a central point for the maintenance and promulgation of sound scriptural and evangelical truth in a large and populous town." At the time, much of the land around the site was open fields; the building was designed by the architect John Dobson and consecrated in 1861.[2][3] A vestry was added in 1874.[4]

The church's original designation was "The Clayton Memorial". Over the vestry door is an incription: "This church, consecrated to the Glory of God, 14th January, 1861, was erected to the memory of the Rev. Richard Clayton, M.A., who was for 30 years Master of the Hospital of St. Mary Magdalene, and the faithful minister of St. Thomas's Church, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He died 8th October, 1856, aged 54 years."[5] To friends of Rev. Moody, however, the church was known as St Spite's.[6]

Present day

Jesmond Parish Church is a conservative evangelical Anglican church of approximately 1,100 people. Currently the leadership team of the church includes David Holloway (vicar since 1973), Jonathan Pryke, Jonathan Redfearn, Ian Garrett and Alan Munden. The church is noted for its preaching, which aims to be expository and evangelistic.

Liturgically the church is conservative, adopting the north side position at services of Holy Communion. ASB Rite A (Prayer Book Pattern) is used. Services of Morning and Evening Prayer are based on the Series 3 forms. Hymns are from Hymns for Today's Church, published by the evangelical Anglican "Jubilate" group.

The church has a close relationship with the Christian Institute whose national headquarters are also in Newcastle. David Holloway is a prominent member of the institute. Both organisations take a strong stance against homosexual practice, in more recent times in relation to the legislation on civil partnerships, which has led to the church's services being picketed on a number of occasions by gay rights activists. In October 1999 the church was vandalised with graffiti opposing the church's stance on human sexuality.[7]

Jesmond Parish Church is a member of Reform, a network of evangelical churches within the Church of England which includes some of the largest Anglican churches in UK. Other churches with similar theology include:

On 2 May 2017, Jonathan Pryke, a minister of Jesmond Parish Church, was consecrated a bishop by Glenn Lyons, the Presiding Bishop of the Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of South Africa (REACH-SA).[8] This was controversial due to REACH-SA's status outside of the Anglican Communion, and because the consecration occurred "without the knowledge of the diocese or its Bishop" (the Bishop of Newcastle).[9]

List of vicars
  • 1861-1882 Canon Berkeley Addison
  • 1882-1888 Canon Somerset Pennefather
  • 1889-1894 Theodore Charles Chapman
  • 1894-1897 Edwin Savage
  • 1898-1907 Canon Thomas Brocas Waters
  • 1907-1916 Canon James Inskip
  • 1916-1927 Canon George Oakley
  • 1927-1947 Canon George Goddard
  • 1947-1959 Harry Bates
  • 1960-1972 Roger Frith
  • 1973–present David Holloway

Organ

The church houses a pipe organ by the notable builder James Jepson Binns of Leeds which dates from 1913, although it has fallen into severe disrepair and is no longer played. It contains pipework from an organ by T. C. Lewis of 1895. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.[10]

List of organists
  • Charles Chambers 1882-1890
  • John Murray 1890[11] - ????
  • Claud H. Hill
  • J.E.Hutchinson 1903- 947
  • George Henry Sutcliffe 1947-1978 - ????[12]
  • Chris Foy
  • Chris Edwards 1996-2011

List of assistant organists
  • Clifford Harker 1928-1930
  • Graham Steed 1934-1941[13]
  • Miles Cragg 2006–present

References
  1. "Jesmond, Eslington Road, Jesmond Parish Church". 26 May 2021.
  2. Munden, Alan (2006). A Light in a Dark Place: Jesmond Parish Church, Newcastle upon Tyne. Newcastle upon Tyne: Clayton Publications. ISBN 095075921X.
  3. "History – About". Jesmond Parish Church. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  4. "Jesmond, Eslington Road, Jesmond Parish Church". 26 May 2021.
  5. Welford, Richard (1895). Men of mark 'twixt Tyne and Tweed. London, W. Scott. p. 589.
  6. Welford, Richard (1895). Men of mark 'twixt Tyne and Tweed. London, W. Scott. p. 39.
  7. The Guardian.
  8. Holloway, David (May 2017). "JPC Press Statement - New Style English Bishop". Print & Audio. The Jesmond Trust. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  9. Wyatt, Tim (8 May 2017). "Conservative Evangelical parish confirms its priest has been ordained bishop by breakaway South African Church". Church Times. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  10. National Pipe Organ Register website.
  11. Northern history, Volumes 16-18, University of Leeds. School of History, 1980
  12. Who's who in Music. Fourth edition. 1962. p.205
  13. Who's who in Music. Shaw Publishing. 1937. p.376

Further reading

A Light in a Dark Place by Alan Munden (Clayton Publications, 2006; 286 pp; ISBN 0-9507592-1-X) is a history of the church.

54°58′56.3″N 1°36′23.5″W

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