Our Lady and St. Benedict
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Our Church History

Our Lady and St Benedict’s Church was built by Ampleforth Abbey to serve Ampleforth Village.  The Church was dedicated on 17 May 1907.  The Church is built in a simple lancet Gothic style, of local stone under a slate roof.  As originally built it appears to have consisted of a long nave with continuous Chancel and Sacristy beyond.  There is a triple lancet window and a raised bell cote at the west end and paired lancet windows lighting the sides of the Chancel.  In 1988 the Church was substantially but seamlessly enlarged, with transepts and low squat towers added on the north and south side, in matching materials and style.  The towers each have a louvred top stage and pyramidal roof; the main entrance to the church is through a porch in the north tower.  

Inside the transept additions create what is effectively a Greek cross plan.  The seating consists of free standing oak benches arranged around a forward stone altar, the latter installed as part of the 1988 reordering and extension.  However, the dominant feature of the interior is the painting over the former high altar (the original oak reredos survives and incorporates a shelf for the tabernacle with a canopy over.  The painting depicts Christ enthroned and adored by figures of Our Lady and St Joseph, St Benedict, St Dominic, and two other figures.  It was painted by Br. Philip Jarvis in the Summer of 1915, when he was a novice in the Ampleforth Abbey Community.  

From the nearby village of Kilburn, a young man by the name of Robert Thompson was asked by Fr. Paul Neville in 1919 to make a crucifix of oak for the village Churchyard.  It was his first commission, and the crucifix still stands in the Churchyard: 'Mouseman'' Thompson's first commissioned work..  The Church is entered via a panelled oak door from the Mouseman studio, given in memory of Fr. Paul who was Parish Priest in Ampleforth 1914-24.

In 1932, during Fr. Ignatius Miller’s time as Parish Priest, and for its Silver Jubilee, two stained glass windows of St. Anselm and St Oswald were inserted on either side of the altar.

Fr. Aelred Graham asked the Sculptor and Refugee from Austria, Joseph Heu, to make a statue of Our Lady for the Church in 1945.   Robert Thompson provided the oak for the large statue of the Madonna holding the Christ child.  It stands in the south transept of the Church.
 
In 1957 a new bell by Taylor of Loughborough was blessed and named ‘Hubert’ by Abbot Byrne.  At the same time, a new sanctuary lamp and stand for the statue of the Madonna and Child were installed.

A thunderstorm in 1986 caused considerable damage to the Church when lightning struck the west end tower.  Whilst repairs were being made, and the Church reordered in line with the Constitution of Sacred Liturgy issued in 1966, Mass was celebrated in St Hilda’s Church of England Church nearby.  Our Lady and St Benedict's was reopened and dedicated by Cardinal Basil Hume on 8 December 1987. 
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  • Home
    • Church History
  • Mass Times
  • Homilies
    • Second Sunday of Easter
    • Homily; Maundy Thursday 2021
    • Homily; Good Friday 2021
    • Homily; Easter Vigil & Easter Day 2021
    • Palm Sunday
    • Fifth Sunday of Lent
    • Fourth Sunday of Lent
    • Third Sunday of Lent
    • Second Sunday of Lent
    • First Sunday of Lent
    • Ash Wednesday
    • Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time
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    • Baptism of Our Lord
    • Epiphany of the Lord
    • Homily; 1 Jan 2021; Mary Mother of God
    • Christmas Midnight Mass
    • Fourth Sunday of Advent
    • Third Sunday of Advent
    • Homily 2nd Sunday of Advent
    • Homily; 1st Sunday of Advent
    • Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
    • Thirty-third Sunday
    • Thirty-second Sunday
    • All Souls
    • All Saints
    • Thirtieth Sunday
    • Twenty-ninth Sunday
    • Twenty-eighth Sunday
    • Twenty seventh Sunday
    • Twenty-sixth Sunday
    • Twenty-fifth Sunday
    • Twenty Fourth Sunday
    • Twenty-third Sunday
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    • Fourth Sunday of Easter
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    • First Sunday of Advent
    • Remembrance Sunday
    • Thirty-first Sunday
    • Twenty-fourth Sunday
    • Twentieth Sunday
    • Eighteenth Sunday
    • Seventeenth Sunday
    • Sixteenth Sunday
    • The Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ
    • The Most Holy Trinity
    • Seventh Sunday of Easter
    • Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time
    • Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time
    • Thirteenth Sunday
    • St John the Baptist
    • Eleventh Sunday of Ordinary Time
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    • Transfiguration of the Lord
    • Cemetery Mass
  • Newsletters
    • Second Sunday of Easter
    • Easter Sunday 2021
    • Palm Sunday
    • Fifth Sunday of Lent
    • Fourth Sunday of Lent
    • Third Sunday of Lent
    • Second Sunday of Lent
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    • Second Sunday after the Nativity
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    • Twenty Fourth Sunday
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    • Nineteenth Sunday
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    • St Peter & St Paul
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    • Twenty-fourth Sunday
    • Twenty-third Sunday
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    • Sixteenth Sunday
    • The Most Holy Trinity
    • Sixth Sunday of Easter
    • Fourth Sunday of Easter
    • Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time
    • Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time
    • St John the Baptist
    • Eleventh Sunday of Ordinary Time
    • Tenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
  • Coronavirus
    • Caritas Middlesbrough helpline
    • Live streaming
    • Home Prayers
    • Our Advent Journey to Christmas sheet
    • Blessing of Advent Wreath
    • O Antiphon thought for each day
    • The Tablet
    • Seized by the Holy Spirit by Abbot General
    • Letter to Daniel
    • Joyce Rupp reflection
    • The Rev Julie Nicholson
    • Noah's Ark story part 1 >
      • Noah's Ark story part 2
      • Noah's Ark story part 3
      • Noah's Ark story part 4
    • Wind beneath my wings; Bette Midler
    • Lockdown poem
    • Our Lady and the child Jesus
    • Pope Francis Rosary
    • Seven gifts sheet
    • Women & the post-covid church
    • Jesus images
    • Ark
    • Why I'm not opening church's yet
    • Abbot primates five blessings
    • Holy Spirit
    • Angelus & Come down O Love divine hymn
    • Simon & Garfunkel song
    • Trasna Poem
    • The seven I am titles of Jesus
    • Noah's Ark on Mount Ararat by Simon de Myle
    • Angels Unaware
    • Be still and know that I am God
    • Extraordinary moment of prayer
    • Halik
    • Don't be fooled
    • Home picture
    • The Last Supper
    • Iona Gate
    • Caravaggio 1
    • Caravaggio 2
    • Poems 1
    • Poems 2
    • School
    • Leeds
    • 5th Station, Simon of Cyrene carries the Cross
  • Hospitality & Outreach
    • Climate Change Zoom event 24/04/21
    • Middlesbrough Food Bank
    • The Sick and the Unwell
    • The Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP)
    • ​Together Middlesbrough and Cleveland (TMC)
    • Zimbabwe missions appeal >
      • Mashambanzou Bulletin September 2020
  • Gallery
    • Bernard's bench 2020
    • Cherry tree in blossom 2020
    • 2016 in our Church
    • Church Photos
    • Historical Photos
  • Contact us
  • Caristas Newsletter
  • 100 Club Winners
  • GDPR - Privacy Notice
  • Justice & Peace
  • Knitting for Refugees
  • Parish Hall for hire
  • Rosa Ampleforth
  • Safeguarding
  • Useful Links