St. Mary's Barnard Castle with Whorlton

30/04/2026

A tremendous service in York Minster thus morning...truly wonderful.

27/04/2026

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23/04/2026

Happy St George's Day
From Easter until mid-November we fly the flag of St George over the church. (Unfortunately, winter winds once snapped the flagpole so, for safety's sake we lower the flag in the winter months!)
St George was a soldier in the Roman Empire living in Lydda in Palestine. He was martyred in the early 300s during a period of persecution of the Christian Church by the Emperor Diocletian. Locally he became known as the 'great martyr'.
His association with dragons may have arisen through a confusion with images of the Archangel St Michael (also portrayed in armour) who was pictured casting Satan out of heaven. OR it may be that Lydda had a connection with the myth of Perseus killing a sea monster. Either way, there were churches dedicated to St George in England before the Norman Conquest. He offficially became England's patron saint at the time of Edward IIIrd (14th century) who adopted St George as the Patron of the Order of the Garter.

The cross of St George reaches up in dedication to God and out in service of our neighbours.

20/04/2026

Today at midday we will gather at St Mary’s to say farewell to Gill Harrison. Gill was well known and loved through her work at William Smith, and the family are grateful for words of sympathy received from many in Barnard Castle and much further afield.
Gill grew up on a farm in Whorlton, just a couple of miles away. The blissful childhood spent enjoying nature and the joyful simplicity of being brought up on a farm, in Gill’s own words, went by too quickly, and at 15 she was ready to start working. After first getting a job at the Golden Lion, in 1986, Gill started work at William Smith. Her incredible loyalty and love for the job, the company and the people she worked with saw her build an impressive career and eventually become the head of the training department, with a very broad geographic area of responsibility. It is difficult to put into words just how much Gill loved working at Smith’s!
Outside work, Gill enjoyed gardening, completely transforming her and her husband Andrew’s garden in Merlin Drive. Years earlier, her creative visionary mind oversaw a complete reconstruction of their house in Cotherstone, which Gill and Andrew bought in a fairly poor state and in 3.5 years turned into an absolute gem, guided by Gill’s vision.
Even despite a long terrible illness, Gill never lost the strength of her character or any of her positive attitude to life, and even the letter she wrote to be read out at the service is full of jokes and beautiful memories. Gill leaves behind ‘her boys’, husband Andrew and son Sam, as well as many others, both family and friends, who will miss her terribly. May she rest in peace and rise in glory. Amen.

20/04/2026

Congratulations to Noah Ellison, who was baptised at St Mary's yesterday! 🥳 It was a joy to welcome Noah, his family and friends, and here he is with his parents Jaimie and Jay-Jay and godparents Riley, Bailey, Phoebe and Alex.

07/04/2026

This morning (11.00am) we will commend Ms Jean Tallentire to God at St Mary's Whorlton, the church she loved and served throughout her life.
A well known 'character' in Barnard Castle, Jean died aged 97, in the Beaconsfield Care Home at the beginning of March. The care home, just opposite her home on Galgate has been Jean's home for the last years of her life: our thanks to those who have watched over her and to all those who enabled Jean to stay connected to the community she loved.
Born at East Shaws near Whorlton, Jean's connection to St Mary's involved singing in the choir, joining in Gilbert and Sullivan productions and learning to play the church organ. She would go on to serve as church organist at Whorlton until the Covid years slowed her down. She played too at Kinninvie Mission church and furher afield.
She worked for many years with the Electricity Board in Barnard Castle and so got to know many customers up and down the dale. She sang with the Barnard Castle Church choir and with the Choral society. And it is well known that she surrounded herself with her many purchases in Woodbine Cottage - for she was something of a 'collector', making the trek each day down the hill into town with her empty bags on the hunt for a bargain. She was well known in the local charity shops. She bought...but she also gave, generously.
She could talk! She was friendly and would engage visitors to the town in conversation. For a time she set up base in the Three Horseshoes, talking to whoever sat nearby, settling in for the day surrounded by her bags before heading home up the hill.
A fount of local history Jean could recall stories of old Barney and its characters. She would recall East Shaws had been used during the war years for training under live fire. and Churchill's visit to witness this. Her input to Whorlton's recent history day was invaluable.
A Christian lady she was faithful in worship to the end, sat on the front row of Barney church on a Sunday morning or joining in the hymns at the regular service at the Care Home.
She was one of a kind and will be greatly missed.
Her funeral takes place in the days just after Easter: our prayer for Jean is the Christian prayer - May she rest in peace and may she rise in glory.

04/04/2026

2 minutes to go until our Easter Family drop in.
Come any time from 10.30 -1 today. Help us celebrate with making our Easter garden, Easter treats, making a biscuit tomb and lots of other crafts and activities.
St Mary's Parish Church - Barnard Castle

04/04/2026

A tremendous labour of love. Huge thanks to members of the flower guild. Do call in at church to enjoy seeing their work.

03/04/2026

Experience the joy of Easter in the parish

8.00am : we light the Easter fire at St Mary’s Whorlton. The ceremony leads into a service of Holy Communion
8.30am Holy Communion at Barnard Castle
10.30am The Easter ceremonies and Holy Communion at Barnard Castle