St Lucius': a church for the community
St Lucius' is a small church that offers a warm welcome and is renowned for its hospitality. It has been serving the farming community of Farnley Tyas since 1840 and our 11am Sunday services are well supported by villagers. We're on Butts Road, HD4 6TZ.
A new toilet extension and kitchen in 2021 enabled the development of a larger social area for use by church, Farnley Tyas First School and other groups. Our popular community Café is open each Tuesday morning and events in church range from concerts and bridge lunches to film shows and a craft fair.
This light, airy building is handsomely furnished with limed oak and equipped with a recently-renovated pipe organ. There is great local affection for St Lucius', which is much sought-after for weddings. Our thriving Cinema Club benefits from a fine sound system and a professional projector and screen. Tickets for each film are £6 or £30 for the whole season. More details on our What's On page.
A new toilet extension and kitchen in 2021 enabled the development of a larger social area for use by church, Farnley Tyas First School and other groups. Our popular community Café is open each Tuesday morning and events in church range from concerts and bridge lunches to film shows and a craft fair.
This light, airy building is handsomely furnished with limed oak and equipped with a recently-renovated pipe organ. There is great local affection for St Lucius', which is much sought-after for weddings. Our thriving Cinema Club benefits from a fine sound system and a professional projector and screen. Tickets for each film are £6 or £30 for the whole season. More details on our What's On page.
OUR COMMUNITY CAFE
Our Community Cafe is open each Tuesday from 9am – noon and everyone is welcome. Coffee and tea, homemade cakes and biscuits are served. Servers come from the Community Group, Women's Institute and our congregation. Please drop us a line if you would like to help.
If you're at a loose end and would like to make or meet friends, come along. Farnley Tyas is home to some fine bakers and you never know what treasures await! There's no charge, but donations are welcome.
If you're at a loose end and would like to make or meet friends, come along. Farnley Tyas is home to some fine bakers and you never know what treasures await! There's no charge, but donations are welcome.
SNAPSHOT OF OUR ACTIVITIES
Candlemas Choral Evensong and supper, February 2026. Click to enlarge images.
The Evensong congregation awaiting the start of the service.
Our Champagne team, Brian, David and Charlotte, right, at the start of supper service.
Sheila is amused at discovering the advanced age of our organist on his birthday cake.
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Currying flavour: Our hard-working kitchen team: Head of Rice, Sheila; Head of stirring, Janet; Holder of the wine, Monica; and Head of Vegetables, Pam.
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Rev Rob talks to Geoffrey at the top of the choir table
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Sandwich course: Corinne with her alternative supper.
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Singing then supper: Members of the choir including Geoffrey, Will, Rev Lucy, David, Mark, Rev Anna, Mitch and Jennie.
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Evensong regulars Natalie and Richard
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Guests at the kitchen table
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Richard tries his hand at conducting, but sadly this is not the choir table
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Good cheer: The choir table headed by our creaking organist.
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The knifing of the birthday cake by Charlotte alarms Jill.
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The Christingle Service, 2025.
Making Christingles, December 2025
Supper following Advent Evensong in December, 2025
Celebrating Dot Greenwood's birthday after Evensong in September, 2025
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The Churchyard has been transformed over the past two years by the strenuous efforts of the Eco Working Group. Walls have been rebuilt, weeds uprooted, trees trimmed, graves tended, plants planted. Top right is the headstone of the grave of 18-year-old George Sawyer, which was carved by his father Philip.
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Service of Lessons and Carols 2023 with the Farnley Singers
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Scenes from the Christingle Service at St Lucius' in December 2023.
A scene from our popular Autumn Craft Fair.
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Easter Day flowers.
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The Farnley Singers, directed by Jim Cowell, rehearse for the 2022 Service of Lessons and Carols.
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Swing Band music from the Manhattan Sound
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A concert for cello and piano by Charlotte and Ruth
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In the mood: David and Jane dance to the band.
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My hat: Members of Farnley Tyas WI show off their headwear.
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Halle Orchestra trumpeter Tom Osborne who gave a concert with Gordon Stewart
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Gordon and Tom take a rehearsal break
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Pupils from Farnley Tyas Church of England First School sang Christmas carols and songs at our Tuesday Community Cafe.
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Ready, aim fire. Cath and Lindsay takes charge of extinguishers as part of a fire safety demonstration.
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Jim Cowell conducts the Farnley Singers in our 2022 Service of Lessons and Carols. Then choir and congregation gather for coffee
DEVELOPMENT PROJECT 2020 - 2021
Job well done. The handsome exterior of our new extension.
Cutting the ground on the first day of work, with Cath and Monica.
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The old kitchen and toilet.
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Much dust was created, hence the protective sheeting.
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Meanwhile, the toilet extension took shape.
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Joiners work on the new, larger kitchen
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Our new kitchen with a trio of helpers.
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Plans for the development scheme © One 17 Architects and Interior Designers.
More than 40 years of illegal marriages at Farnley Tyas
Forty years of illegal church weddings? It would be a modern tabloid scandal, but this happened some time ago...
Canon C A Hulbert, Vicar of Almondbury from 1867 to 1888, believed that St Lucius' Church had 'the Bishop's Licence for Marriages within the township'.
But there had been some irregularity in the arrangement, for when Canon W Foxley Norris succeeded Canon Hulbert in 1888, he discovered to his horror that St Lucius' had not been properly licensed.
Consequently, all the marriages solemnized there since 1841 were illegal – including that of the Vicar of St Lucius' – and the children born of such unions, illegitimate.
Canon Foxley Norris confided his discovery to Sir John Arthur Brooke, MA, JP of Fenay Hall, and between them they obtained an
Act of Parliament whereby all the marriages were legalized and the children duly made legitimate.
The first entry in the Register of Marriages at Farnley Tyas is for February 4, 1841, the year after the church was consecrated. It records the marriage of bachelor John Schofield, a carpenter, to widow Amelia Hampshire, both described as being of 'full age'.
Also detailed is the 1862 marriage of the Rev Cutfield Wardroper, then vicar of Farnley Tyas, to Anna Warmoll Butcher. The ceremony was performed by the Bishop of Ripon and witnesses included Canon Hulbert.
Wardroper ministered at St Lucius' for 51 years, riding to services on a white horse from his home at Woodsome Hall. In his retirement, aged 86, he married his fourth wife, 45 years his junior.
The picture records the marriage of Wardroper, who had officiated at the wedding ten months earlier of Sarah Roberts and James Mellor.
Canon C A Hulbert, Vicar of Almondbury from 1867 to 1888, believed that St Lucius' Church had 'the Bishop's Licence for Marriages within the township'.
But there had been some irregularity in the arrangement, for when Canon W Foxley Norris succeeded Canon Hulbert in 1888, he discovered to his horror that St Lucius' had not been properly licensed.
Consequently, all the marriages solemnized there since 1841 were illegal – including that of the Vicar of St Lucius' – and the children born of such unions, illegitimate.
Canon Foxley Norris confided his discovery to Sir John Arthur Brooke, MA, JP of Fenay Hall, and between them they obtained an
Act of Parliament whereby all the marriages were legalized and the children duly made legitimate.
The first entry in the Register of Marriages at Farnley Tyas is for February 4, 1841, the year after the church was consecrated. It records the marriage of bachelor John Schofield, a carpenter, to widow Amelia Hampshire, both described as being of 'full age'.
Also detailed is the 1862 marriage of the Rev Cutfield Wardroper, then vicar of Farnley Tyas, to Anna Warmoll Butcher. The ceremony was performed by the Bishop of Ripon and witnesses included Canon Hulbert.
Wardroper ministered at St Lucius' for 51 years, riding to services on a white horse from his home at Woodsome Hall. In his retirement, aged 86, he married his fourth wife, 45 years his junior.
The picture records the marriage of Wardroper, who had officiated at the wedding ten months earlier of Sarah Roberts and James Mellor.
The Church of St Lucius, Butts Road, Farnley Tyas, Huddersfield, HD4 6UU, is part of the Parish of Almondbury with Farnley Tyas.
Registered charity number 1132489
Registered charity number 1132489
