Views of St Wilfrid’s (From York Press)

Views of St Wilfrid’s

10:20am Tuesday 24th July 2012 in Letters By Readers' letters

I WAS appalled to read Tony Walker’s description of St Wilfrid’s Church as a “monstrosity” and also that his American friends viewed the church as ‘ugly’.

As someone who was married in that church, I am deeply offended by these views and also disappointed that The Press printed such a letter.

St Wilfrid’s is a beautiful church and is part of the history of the city. When we start taking seriously the opinions of people like Mr Walker we really risk losing something far more than the view of the Minster.

David West, Exelby Court, York.

• THERE is a very simple solution to Tony Walker’s problem with St Wilfrid’s RC church spoiling his view of the Minster.

If the Catholic Church was given back its original church in York, you could do what you want with the old one.

The only problem with this is that Henry VIII ‘acquired’ it in 1534 when he took over as the head of the Church of England and had the sign of the Pope (the Triple Crown) chiseled off the front of the church. You can still see the outline of the tiara on the large red shield in central tower.

It could work but some might object. The original Catholic Church is the Minster.

Joanne Mackin, Woodlea Crescent, York.

• REGARDING Tony Walker’s letter about St Wilfrid’s Church spoiling the view of York Minster (Letters, July 19), I thought he might be interested to know that the church was deliberately built to do just that.

As part of my Open University course, I learned that it was deliberate challenge by York’s Roman Catholics to the Anglican Minster and was intended to be a “direct visual challenge” to it. It was built at a time of competition between different Christian groups.

Of course, it wouldn’t get planning permission nowadays, would it?

Vanessa Grant, Woodland Chase, York.