Tours of St Aidan’s

A WALK AROUND ST AIDAN’S 
 
A tour of the church should leave the two main features (the mosaics and the organ) until last and start at The Pulpit made of Caen stone and a base of Bath stone with chief supports of Italian marble and alabaster adornments showing scenes from the life of St Aidan.

Panels show life of St Aidan

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Confessional was carved by Robert Thompson of Kilburn and his famous mouse trademark is on the left foot. Another piece by Thompson is the oak lectern in the Chapel of the Resurrection. 

Confessional - unusual in an Anglian church

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Stations of the Cross are the work of Professor Josef Heu, an Austrian who fled his country just before the Nazis arrived in 1938. He lived and worked at Ampleforth Abbey in the North Riding. The Redeemer Statue is also by him. It shows Our Lady presenting the Christ child as the world’s redeemer.   

Carved out of a single piece of wood

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
The Font was made at the Elswick Court marble works in Newcastle. A local newspaper described it as one of the ‘finest pieces of ecclesiastical sculpture’. It is made in Mexican onyx and green, blue and red marble and its bowl weighs a ton and a half.

The font was much admired in its natal city

  

 

 

 

 

 

The Bishop’s mitres and crozier in the case on the west wall were presented by Bishop Samuel Mumford Taylor, who was the first vicar of St Aidan’s. The Lectern is of polished brass with supporting angels blowing out the gospel to the four corners of the earth. 

Angels trumpet the world

  

 

 

 

 

 

The Rood was decorated as a memorial to the work of the Revd Mumford Taylor at St Aidan’s. The inscription from John’s gospel reads: I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me’.  

The rood beam - a massive tribute to the first vicar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Chapel - a place for prayer

The Chapel of the Resurrection is where daily mass is celebrated and the Blessed Sacrament reserved. It is essentially a chapel for prayer. The moveable altar was made by a member of the present congregation, John Drake, who like Thompson, has left his trade mark. Also in here is the war memorial and lists of the dead of two world wars. Note the one woman who died in the Great War in an explosion at a munitions factory in east Leeds. The newest piece in the Chapel is the free standing aumbry which houses the Blessed Sacrament.

 

 

WHY NOT VISIT ST AIDAN’S

Conducted tours of the church lasting about one hour can be arranged at suitable times for groups of up to 30 people. School parties are especially welcome. Usually two weeks notice is required. Contact Barrie Pepper on 0113 265 8595 or email him at: barrie.pepper@ntlworld.com

HERITAGE OPEN DAYS

An opportunity to visit St Aidan’s comes on Saturday 11th September when the church takes part in Heritage Open Days when many historic and often private buildings are open to the public. From 10am until 4.30pm the church will be open and there will be a full programme of tours, short talks, music and storytelling. Booking is not required and refreshments will be available.