St Aidan's Tapestry

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St. Aidan’s Church, Oxspring

Early in the 20th century the small rural village of Oxspring, on the eastern edge of Penistone parish, had no worship place of its own and the villagers used to meet for services in the Day School. A piece of land was considered, and  it was sixteen years later that the site on which the church now stands was given by the David Brown Corporation, at that time major employer in Penistone. A combined Church and Hall was designed and built by local builders at a cost of just under £7000.

The foundation stone was laid on St. George’s Day 1959 by Mr. G. L. Hancock on behalf of Mr. David Brown and blessed by the Bishop of Wakefield, the Rt. Rev. Eric Treacy.

On the 28th October 1960 the church was opened by Mr. Peter Hinchliff, and dedicated by the Bishop of Pontefract, the Rt. Rev. George Clarkson, St. Aidan being chosen as the appropriate Patron Saint as he was the great missionary bishop of Northumbria at the time when Yorkshire was part of that great kingdom.

LECTERN AND PRAYER DESK. The lectern and prayer desk, chalice and paten, were made by the boys from Penistone Grammar School who lived in Oxspring, under the guidance of their teachers, Mr Austin Crossland and Mr. Spurley Hey.

BLESSED GIFTS The bishop blessed the many gifts which had been provided by individuals and groups. These include the Altar, and linen, the cross and candlesticks, bible and service book, credence table, the bowl for a font. And various there items.

Services at the time were held every Sunday and the congregation thrived, particularly in the early 1970’s under the care of one of the Penistone curates, the late Father Edward Chetwynd.