A GROWING church has bought the Salvation Army's York headquarters of more than 130 years.

Alan Rose, senior pastor at York City Church, says it is 'humbling' for it to be in the position of owning the former Citadel in Gillygate.

"We're overwhelmed, to tell you the truth," he said.

He revealed that members of the church had donated almost a quarter of a million pounds towards the cost of acquiring the building. "It's quite remarkable. It was very moving," he said.

The Press reported earlier this month that the Salvation Army had sold the Citadel, which was opened in 1883 by the Lord Mayor, with the organisation now operating for the time being from three separate locations elsewhere in the city.

York Press:

The Citadel soon after it opened in 1883

Agents Barry Crux & Co were unable at that stage to reveal who had bought the property, but it said on Friday that the sale had attracted a lot of interest from a variety of occupiers before ultimately being sold to the church.

The company added: "It is fitting that the building will continue to be used by the community as a place of worship."

York Press:

Mr Rose inside the building

Mr Rose said: "The last 18 months has been quite a journey for us. To find ourselves in this position is humbling; this is an historic building in the city that- since opening in 1883- has only had one owner, and the significance of that is by no means lost on us.

"William Temple - the Archbishop of York in the 1930s - said that the church is the only organisation that exists solely for the benefit of its non-members.

"That not only resonates deeply with our own sense of mission- to be a church in the city of York and for the city of York- but with the theological raison d'être for the existence of the church altogether.

"I don't know whether the Citadel will still belong to York City Church 130 years from now, but if it is, I hope and pray that York will have been enriched and nourished in as many was as it has been through the Salvation Army's presence there."

He said the church, which currently had about 150 members, including children and babies, would launch Sunday morning services at the new building at 10am on Sunday September 6.

It was also planning to launch a new 'City Tots' session one day a week, to which parents could come for a chat and a cup of tea while their children played in a safe environment.