A Brief History of Holy Sepulchre

Ashington can trace its origins back to Anglo-Saxon times but is now one of the largest towns in Northumberland. The town grew from a few farms in the early 19th century to a large coal mining village when the colliery opened in 1867. At one point, Ashington was known as the largest mining village in the world.

In March 1885, Revd Ellis called a meeting of his Ashington parishioners which gave birth to a scheme for the erection of a new church and the formation of a new parish. So with a building committee of five, a team of collectors appointed, work began on laying the foundations 1886.
By January 1887 the Nave and Chancel had been completed and the building was licensed and consecrated for worship by the Bishop of Newcastle on the 30^th January 1887. In November the South Aisle was completed and just a year later plans were made to add the North Aisle thus raising the seating capacity to 500. The west porch and North Aisle were added in 1896.

Holy Communion was celebrated for the first time here on the 20^th February and on the 12^th June the burial ground was consecrated. The first funeral took place the following day.

On the 29^th May 1889, the Revd John Lightfoot, Curate at Bothal was inducted as Vicar of the Parish, our history shows he has been followed by 13 Vicars including the current incumbent, and 8 assistant curates.
On the 21^st April 1923, the war memorial Window at the east end of the church and high above the Altar was installed in memory of the men of the parish who died during the Great War and is a representation of the Ascension of our Lord.

Over the years numerous alterations have been made to the interior and exterior of the church. In the 1970s we said goodbye to the Vicarage next door and in 1996 a major refurbishment took place which included restoring the pews to their original condition. The Miners Chapel of Remembrance, dedicated in 2012 serves as a constant reminder to our founding heritage.

Today, our Church building continues to be a place where the faithful gather, the sad are comforted and God’s kingdom is proclaimed. We serve each other and the people of Ashington with love and generosity, the founding legacy we hold and pass on to future generations.

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