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Historical Notes
While there is
archive evidence to suggest that a small chapel may
have existed at Milbourne in the 12th and 13th
centuries, no trace of it remains and it was not
until the late 19th century that the local Anglican
community could claim to have a church of its own.
Then, in 1867, funded by gift and endowment of Miss
Jane Anne Bates of Milbourne Hall, work began to
build a church as a Chapel of Ease to the mother
church of St Mary's, Ponteland.
The foundation
stone was laid by Miss Bates on 15th May 1867 and
an account of the ceremony in the Newcastle Daily
Journal records that she did so "in a very elegant
and workmanlike manner". Sadly she did not live to
see the church consecrated on 27th February 1871,
but her gift to the Parish is commemorated in a
memorial tablet in St Mary's Church:
"Her good works will be held in
undying remembrance by her friends and relations
the last of which was to build a chapel upon the
estate and to provide liberally for the
endowment."
Other members of
the family gave gifts, notably the clock and bells
and more recently gifts, notably the font cover and
wrought iron flower stands, have been made in
memory of members of the congregation.
The most recent gift, however
has been the replacement of the former
plain glass west window with a stained
glass window to celebrate the 2000th
anniversary of the birth of our Lord,
Jesus Christ.
Known
as the Millennium Window and of
contemporary design, it was funded by
donations from the congregation and
friends of Holy Saviour and symbolises the
rural location of the church and the
Northumbrian landscape beyond
it.
It was
designed and made by Cate
Wilkinson.
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"The earth is full of thy
riches"
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Originally intended as a place of
worship for the Milbourne Hall estate family and
local community, Holy Saviour now draws its members
from a wider area and provides a traditional
Anglican Service for a congregation averaging 40-45
people.
A stained glass window is a Memorial
to two members of the Mortimer family.
The
Memorial window was created by ATKINSON
BROTHERS
STAINED
GLASS ARTISTS
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
William Henry
Atkinson and his wife Anna Maria Sparrow lived in
Ripon , where William was a grocer and tea dealer
. They had five children - four boys and a girl
.
Three of the
boys became stained glass artists in Newcastle .
They were William Henry (1854 - 1890 ) Frederick
Augustine ( 1858 - 1927 ) and Albert Edward ( 1862
- 1939 ) .
An advert in a
trade directory suggests that the business started
in 1876 , but the earliest work found to date is
1880 and that is ascribed to William on his own .
Trade
directories also show that William had separate
work premises to the other two.
William dies in
1890 . The other two continue in business with a
large amount of their work being memorial glass
after the First World War . Frederick dies in 1927
and Albert continues until selling to Reed Millican
in the early thirties .
Their businesses
were in Elswick , Oxford Street , New Bridge Street
and latterly Leazes Terrace .
Carol Rust August 2010
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