THE ITALIANATE parish church at Goldthorpe has a unique artefact which has been commissioned thanks to bequests from bereaved families.
A 27 branch candlestand has been designed and made by blacksmith Chris Topp at his workshop near Thirsk.
It was unveiled on Sunday and stands next to the Shrine of Our Lady in St John and St Mary Magdalene church.
The art nouveau style is based on candlestands which the Vicar of Goldthorpe, Fr Tony Delves, noticed in Venice. It represents light and life and is reminiscent of the biblical burning bush.
“I’ve never seen one like this in this country, but have seen some in Venice,” said Fr Delves.
“Our church is described as a Venetian Basilica in style, so it seemed very appropriate and as it was built in 1916 it fits in nicely. It looks lovely when it’s lit at night. Most candlestands are very plain, but this is intended as a work of art too, adding something distinctive to the church.”
It is a memorial to three people with strong associations with the church, Mary Jane Fearn (1907-97) and Emma Nicholls (1918-2003) who were both long-standing parishioners and Fr John Michael Robinson (1957-98), whose parents Mary and Harry Robinson attend the church.
Mr Topp has completed many commissions for cathedrals, including St Paul’s, Buckingham Palace and other important buildings and is working at Wentworth Castle, Stainborough.
