St Mary's Church, Cottonstones
The church was built with money left by Ellen Hadwen in her will of 1842. In 1845, her only surviving sister, Eliza, laid the foundation stone – with a time capsule containing Victorian coins. The church was named in memory of their sister Mary and their mother.
The cost was around £2,100. The church opened on 8th May 1848 and was supported by the Hadwen family.
The parish was created in 1848.
On 13th December 1914, a new organ was installed.
After World War II, the church used reparations for bomb damage – caused when a V1 doodlebug fell at Little Toothill Farm, Sowerby on 24th December 1944 - to repoint the church tower.
In 1950, a memorial window to Eric Platt was unveiled.
The graveyard at the church is open and in use.
The church is used for Eucharist every Sunday, for baptisms, weddings and funerals, and for special services on Palm Sunday, Christmas and Harvest. The children from St Mary's Primary School, Mill Bank also worship at the Church.
The records for the Church are held at the West Yorkshire Archive Service office in Wakefield (Collection WDP138): Baptisms [1848-1984], Marriages [1848-1983] and Burials [1848-1953].
The Cache
A small camo-covered clip lock box can be found at N53 41.UVW W001 57.XYZ
On the blue noticeboard near to the entrance to the car park you will find two telephone numbers. The one near the bottom (the Vicars) is the one you need. The telephone number is ABCDE FGHIJK
U = F-K
V = G+K
W = I
X = G
Y = J-G
Z = K
Check sum for UVWXYZ totalled together is 21.
If you would like to add to the Church Micro series yourself then please look here
http://churchmicro.co.uk/
There is also a Church Micro Stats & Information page that can be found at
http://www.15ddv.me.uk/geo/cm/index.html