Kirke House

Kirke House, formerly All Saints parish church, was built in 1828 by J. Oates, with a chancel enlarged in 1878-79 by J. Kirk. The building is constructed of coursed and dressed sandstone, with a roofless nave and a replacement chancel roof.

The church is in a simple Gothic style. The five-bay nave is buttressed and features large lancet windows. The south porch, located in the first bay, has diagonal buttresses and a chamfered doorway. The three-stage west tower has angle buttresses in the lower stages, clasping buttresses at the bell stage, and an embattled parapet with corner pinnacles. It incorporates pointed windows, including belfry openings with louvres, and circular windows in the middle stage. Round clock faces are situated above the belfry openings. The chancel was originally in a Decorated style, but the east window has been blocked, and modern domestic windows have been inserted. The interior was not accessible during a 2009 survey, and furnishings and fixtures are reported to have been removed.

Originally known as All Saints parish church, it was designed and constructed by John Oates of Halifax, a prolific architect of Gothic churches in the 1820s. The church cost £2706 and was funded under the 1818 Church Building Act, which aimed to address the lack of Anglican worship in growing industrial areas. The chancel enlargement in 1878-79 was undertaken by John Kirk of Huddersfield. Declared redundant in 1984, Kirk’s chancel has since been converted into a house. John Oates is said to be buried in the adjacent graveyard.

Kirke House is designated at Grade II for its representation of the simple Gothic style of the early 19th century, demonstrating the proportions used to accommodate galleries in churches grant-aided by the Church Commissioners. The extended chancel reflects the important aspects of the 19th-century ecclesiological revival.