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Kellington with Whitley Parish

The History of Whitley Church

West window of All saints' All Saints' Parish Church was built between 1858 and 1861 on a site donated by John Eanshaw of Hull whose family had previously lived at Whitley Lodge, and who are commemorated in the windows at the south side of the church.  The then vicar of Kellington, the Reverend Joseph Mann, together with Mr Robert Baker and Mr William Roberts, raised the money by public subscription.  The architect was James Wilson of Bath, and the church was built of Ackworth stone with a nave and round apse.

Eastern elevation of All Saints' As a chapel of ease for Kellington it was built only for weekly services, it has no burial ground and was only licenced for the solemnisation of marriages in the 1960's.   A previous chapel is known to have existed from at least 1200, but the site is unknown at the present.  The active church life of the middle ages is proved not only by the restoration of parish churches and foundation of chantries, but in the provision of chapels of ease in large parishes where a river or stretch of marshy land separated the parish church from scattered hamlets.   Such would have been the case at Whitley, at least at certain times of the year, where now the Aire and Calder Navigation runs.

The Lodge appears to have been built in the 18th century and extended in the Victorian period.   The old farm building next to the Lodge dates back to 1719 and the dovecote which is situated halfway down the drive is of a similar age.   Previous occupiers included William Rawden Earnshaw, Deputy of the lower division of Osgoldcross, and from the mid 19th century the Lyons family.   Major Lyons had two sons killed in the 1st World War and there is a memorial to them in Kellington Church.

The congregation at the closing service.' On the afternoon of December 6th 2020 a short service was held to mark the closure of All Saints’ Church.

Because of Covid-19 regulations being in place at the time of the service the congregation are wearing face masks and are socially distancing.