Acomb, North Yorkshire

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Acomb , is a village and suburb within the City of York unitary authority area, in North Yorkshire, England, to the western side of York. It covers the site of the original village of the same name, which is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. It is bordered by the suburbs of Holgate to the east, Clifton to the north and Woodthorpe to the south. The boundary to the west abuts the fields close to the A1237, York Outer Ring Road. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, Acomb was incorporated into the City of York in 1934. Formerly a farming village, Acomb expanded over the centuries to become a dormitory area for workers in heavy industry, such as rail engineering, in the 19th and 20th centuries and more recently for a more diverse workforce. Though it no longer has any large-scale manufacturing, it does have a diverse retail centre. There are at least 19 Grade II listed buildings within its boundaries. It was made a conservation area in 1975, with the historic area along Front Street and the Green retaining its village character. It is also an Area of Archaeological Importance under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. Acomb comprises two wards of the City of York: Acomb and Westfield. At the 2011 census of England and Wales, it had a population of 22,215, the largest of all areas of the city. There are six primary schools and one comprehensive school. There are also a variety of sporting clubs and one public sports centre. Acomb was recently famous in York for having a very high concentration of street bollards. These were installed in an upgrade in 2023 and have since prompted great controversy among residents due to their vast numbers and variance from the original proposed plans for the area. However, after successful campaigning by residents, the number of bollards was reduced in late 2024 as part of other street improvements.

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St Stephen's Church, Acomb

St Stephen's Church is the parish church of Acomb, a suburb of York in England. A church has lain on the site since the Saxon period, and some remains of the Saxon church were uncovered in 1830. By the time of the Norman Conquest, it was a possession of York Minster. In 1228, it was transferred to the Treasurer of the Minster, and a vicarage was built in 1313. It was transferred to the Crown in 1547. By 1830, the church was ruinous, so from 1831 to 1832 it was rebuilt, to a design by George Townsend Andrews. It seated 338 worshippers, partly in two galleries. Cruciform in plan, it was constructed in Tadcaster limestone with a slate roof. The original chancel was retained, but it was rebuilt in 1851. A vestry was added in 1889, and the following year, an east window was added. In the 20th-century, a porch was added, as was a lean-to on the north wall. In 1848, it was described as "an elegant structure with a graceful spire, and, standing on the highest ground in the vicinity of York, [it] has a very picturesque appearance". The Royal Commission on Historic Monuments was more critical, describing it as "ostensibly in the Early English style, [but it] shows no real appreciation of mediaeval architecture". The roof was rebuilt in 1952, and in 1954, a peal of bells was installed, cast in 1770 for St Mary Bishophill Senior. In 1983, the building was Grade II listed. The church suffered a fire in 1992 but was restored soon afterwards, and many of its fixtures and fittings survived. These include stained glass, the oldest of which was made by Edmund Gyles in 1662, depicted the arms of Charles II of England. The arms of William IV are displayed on a panel in the porch.

Church Historic Site

Acomb House

Acomb House is a historic building in the Acomb suburb of York, in England. The building lies on the north side of Front Street, in Acomb. Its site is believed to have been previously occupied by an earlier house, belonging to the Blanshard family, and described in 1733 as ancient. The current house was constructed in the first half of the 18th century, to a symmetrical plan, other than a small scullery block on the north side. It was altered in the late 18th century, which is probably when its porch and its attic storey was added. Further alterations took place in the early 19th century, including external parts of the ground floor, and a new porch and staircase on the north side. The house was Grade II* listed in 1954, and the small wall in front, topped with cast iron railings, is also listed. The house is built of brick, with some stone dressings. It is three storeys tall, and five bays wide. Inside, the ground floor has much 18th-century plasterwork. The front east room also has a late 18th-century fireplace and early 19th-century built-in cupboard. The front west room is panelled from floor to ceiling, while the dining room has another late 18th-century iron fireplace, with a marble surround. The main staircase is original, while the servants' staircase has been rebuilt at the first floor level. The four main first floor rooms also retain early plasterwork, with the saloon having the most detailed decoration.

Historic Site Landmark

Gateway Church, York

Gateway Church is a Christian church based in The Gateway Centre, Acomb, York, England. Formerly known as Acomb Christian Fellowship, it is part of the ChristCentral Churches family of churches, a part of the Newfrontiers movement of churches. It has weekly worship services every Sunday morning at 10.30am at the Gateway Centre and encourages members to join a Lifegroup (small group) for community and fellowship. It adheres to the Evangelical Alliance Statement of Faith and operates under the legal structure of Gateway (York) CIO - a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. The church was instrumental in the setting up of York Foodbank and runs a Christians Against Poverty free debt help service.

Charity Church

Holy Redeemer Church, York

The Holy Redeemer Church lies on Boroughbridge Road, in the Acomb area of York, in England. The first church here was a simple brick building, completed in 1938. This is now used as the church hall, linked to the new church, behind. The new church was constructed between 1959 and 1965, to a design by George Pace. The church reuses parts of the demolished church of St Mary, Bishophill Senior. The south wall is constructed from stone from the building and includes Mediaeval windows, in a different arrangement to the original building. The remaining walls are brick, with the south wall including a 19th-century Gothic window. The clock tower is also of brick, and sits above a small chapel intended for weekday services. The church is entered through a late-12th century doorway. Inside, the church has a wide nave and two narrow aisles. The south arcade is from St Mary, partly dating from about 1200, and partly from the late 13th-century. Above the altar is an iron cross, incorporating an Anglo-Saxon carved stone. Other Saxon carved stones, mostly cross fragments, are incorporated in the pulpit and walls. The York Civic Trust claimed that these were "all the interesting parts" of St Mary. Nikolaus Pevsner described the building as "probably the best post-war building in the city". It was Grade II listed in 1998.

Church Historic Site