If you have walked past Whiston Parish Church in recent months, you may have wondered why scaffolding was obscuring the view of this beautiful historic building. As previously reported, the church’s Victorian rainwater dispersal system had failed, allowing water to seep through the walls and cause damage to the stonework both inside and outside the church.
The cost of the necessary repairs and refurbishment was a daunting £58,000. Thanks to the generosity of their church community and the strong local support for their fundraising activities, they began to make steady progress towards the target. Before Christmas, their funds received a significant boost through the award of several generous grants from local and national trusts. They are extremely grateful to the National Churches Trust, Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust, Wolfson Foundation, Benefact Trust and the Penny Hill Windfarm Community Fund. Their support enabled them to reach their fundraising goal, complete the repairs, and remove the scaffolding in time for their Christmas services.
As they celebrate the start of 2026, they are delighted to have a warm, dry, and beautifully restored church once again. The work was expertly carried out by stonemason Graham Bailey, ensuring the long-term protection of this much-loved building. Whiston Parish Church has been at the heart of the village for over 900 years, providing a welcoming space and offering care, fellowship, and support to the local community. Through regular open mornings, heritage open days, music events, the summer fair, Harvest festival, the Christmas tree festival, the outdoor Nativity, Remembrance Day services, and activity days for children and young people, the church continues to welcome increasing numbers of visitors, many of whom are entering the building for the first time. Whiston Parish Church provides a beautiful venue for local residents and those beyond the local area who wish to use the church for baptisms, weddings and funerals.
They warmly invite you to drop in and see them, or to check their Facebook page for details of upcoming events organised by the church community.
February events
Parish Communion is held at 9.45am every Sunday at St Mary Magdalene Church in Whiston. Starfish Gang, a group for primary-aged children, meets in the church room during term-time at the same time. Choral Evensong for Candlemas will be on Sunday 1st February at 6.00pm. The Natter Group will meet on Monday 2nd February at 10.30am for an hour in Whiston Parish Hall for a chat and refreshments. Refresh@4, an all-age service will take place at 4.00pm on Sunday 8th February (second Sunday of the month). Meanwhile. YouthZone, a group for young people in school Year 6 to Year 11, meets twice a month on a Sunday late afternoon – early evening either at Whiston or at St Cuthbert’s, Herringthorpe.
Every Wednesday Holy Communion is at 10.30am. On Wednesday 18th February, Ash Wednesday, the service will include ashing. Most services are followed by refreshments. On Sunday 22nd February, starting at 2.00pm, there will be a special Girl Guiding event for all the units which meet in Whiston. One Rainbow Unit, two Brownies Packs and one Guide Unit will gather in church to celebrate the 100th Year of World Thinking Day. See their Facebook page for latest news or updates. Everyone is welcome at all services or events.