Pickering Friends Meeting House Appeal
A Brief History of Pickering Friends Meeting House
Pickering Quaker Meeting in North Yorkshire is part of Pickering and Hull Area Meeting. It is a small but active meeting with about 25 Friends who attend regularly.
The Meeting House is a Grade 2 listed stone building, situated in Castlegate. It lies behind the warden’s cottage, in the oldest part of town, close to Pickering Castle. Built in the early 1790s and completed in 1793 it replaced an earlier building close by at Undercliffe, which Friends had used from 1675. Previously George Fox had visited Pickering in 1665. Later in the 17th Century several Friends were imprisoned in the nearby Castle.
Pickering Meeting House sits in grounds extending for half an acre. The lawned area was used as a Quaker burial ground until the 1940s. The whole area is now an attractive, peaceful garden valued by visitors and local people.
The Meeting House is an important and valued part of community life in the town. In addition to accommodating Quaker activities the building is extensively used by special interest groups from different parts of the community. We welcome around 600 visitors throughout the year. The building also hosts film, theatre and musical performances.
Why we need your help
We seek financial help to repair and restore our Meeting House enabling us to continue our responsible stewardship of the building, in order to worship and provide opportunities for witness and outreach both now and in the future.
The work required is part of a 5 year rolling plan, and will address areas highlighted by our architect. We need to raise a total amount of £115,000. Pickering Meeting and the Area Meeting have already committed funds, and we have plans for local fund raising events throughout 2009. However we still require significant help from others as well as appealing for grants.
Planned repairs and improvements
Our plans address the areas needing urgent attention whilst enhancing comfort and warmth for many users, and conserving heat and energy. We need to:
- Reslate the roof and improve insulation
- Replace weathered stonework and undertake extensive re-pointing
- Remove outside wall slate cladding (which is causing damp)
- Modernise kitchen facilities
- Install secondary glazing and enclose the porch
- Repair garden boundary wall and warden’s cottage garage wall
Please can you help us to reach our target by making a donation?
Please send your donation to:
Pickering Friends Meeting House Appeal
c/o The Wardens
19, Castlegate
Pickering,
North Yorkshire
YO18 7AX