Friends of St. Matthew's Churchyard, Lightcliffe

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Friends of St. Matthew's Churchyard, Lightcliffe

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The aim of the Friends is to renovate and care for the old St. Matthew's Churchyard on Wakefield Roa St. It is owned by St. All are welcome.

Matthew's Churchyard is located on Wakefield Road, Lightcliffe, near Halifax on the junction with Till Carr Lane (nearest postcode is HX3 8TH). Matthew's Church, which is itself located about 200m up Wakefield Road. The churchyard, which is still open for burials in the rear portion, is a haven for many birds, plants and wildlife. There are a number of interesting people buried there. The tower, all that remains of the Old Church of St Matthew, built in 1774, was saved by The Friends of Friendless Churches in 1974 when the rest of the church was demolished. There are working parties on the 3rd Sunday of every month and other events throughout the year.

02/11/2026

This year's Remembrance posters feature a Lightcliffe cricketer who had previously been a pupil at Lightcliffe National School before working for the the carpet manufacturers, T. F. Firth & Sons Ltd. Read his story athttps://www.lightcliffechurchyard.org.uk/attachments/article/203/Private%20Edgar%20Pollard.pdf

28/10/2026

Someone has very kindly left a flower arrangement by the tower - thank you. It is on what is left of one of our three larch wood benches. Unfortunately over time the wood has rotted. We are in the process of working out how we can replace these benches with more durable ones.

16/10/2026

This headstone is in Woodlawn Cemetery, New Windsor, Orange County, New York. But why? Harry Sutcliffe was born in Midgley at the top of Calderdale, moved to Wyke and then Lightcliffe, worked for T.F.Firths & Sons Ltd at Bailiffe Bridge and Firthcliffe in the USA and then died in Lightcliffe. Read
https://www.lightcliffechurchyard.org.uk/attachments/article/203/Harry%20Sutcliffe%20in%20Firthcliffe.pdf
to answer the question!

12/10/2026

On Sunday 18th October Lightcliffe tower door will be open from 1400 to 1530. Visitors will be able to go inside to see and hear about the recent restoration work carried out by Friends of Friendless Churches. The repaired memorials including those to members of the Walker family will be on view in their new positions along with the very long /tall Benefactors' Board.

08/10/2026

Like most members of his mother's Sutcliffe family Edgar Pollard worked for T. F. Firths & Sons Ltd., at Bailiff Bridge - some also worked for the same carpet manufacturers in the USA - hence his name is on the memorial the Aykroyds placed in the park. Read more athttps://www.lightcliffechurchyard.org.uk/attachments/article/203/The%20Sutcliffe%20parents%20and%20daughters.pdf

04/10/2026

The memorial to Rev. Richard Sutcliffe, the first incumbent of the 1775 church, and his wife is the oldest in the tower. It is now in a new position above the door. It differs from the Walker memorials as it is in an unusual flowing script and is in Latin! We have a translation on hand for visitors. Read more about the incumbent who worked with William Walker, Ann Walker's grandfather, to have this church built athttps://www.lightcliffechurchyard.org.uk/attachments/article/135/incumbents3.pdf

30/09/2026

Last Friday a photographer for Friends of Friendless Churches visited Lightcliffe tower to take pictures after the recent restoration work. This video explains what had to be done.
https://friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk/news/old-st-matthews-repairs-monuments-and-history/
Watch this space to see what he found!

25/09/2026

Squire Ingham's headstone is still standing upright to the left of the path going towards the C17 cottage. But that of his brother Seth Ingham is now laid flat in the middle section of the churchyard. Read about the brothers and their families in the articleshttps://www.lightcliffechurchyard.org.uk/attachments/article/202/Squire%20Ingham%20and%20family.pdf
and
https://www.lightcliffechurchyard.org.uk/attachments/article/202/Seth%20Ingham%20and%20family.pdf

21/09/2026

Ann Walker and her aunts got some more flowers yesterday. Thank you.

19/09/2026

Come on in, tomorrow Sunday 20th September 2 - 4 pm, to see and hear about the recent restoration of Lightcliffe tower. Then wander around the churchyard. Many WW1 soldiers, a Waterloo survivor, and a few Crimean soldiers as well as one WW2 Sapper are buried and/or remembered in the churchyard. Then, of course, there is Ann Walker's ledger stone to find as well as the grave plots of other real Gentleman Jack characters.

Address

Wakefield Road And Till Carr Lane, Lightcliffe
Halifax
HX38TH

Website

http://www.lightcliffechurchyard.org.uk/

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