Address: 29 Swinegate, YO1 8AZ (now Baltimore)
Description
Above the entrance and windows, six distinct stone slabs are meticulously carved, each bearing a segment of the phrase ‘York Central Mission Hall.’
Due to space limitations, the name is broken into six parts: ‘York’, ‘Cen’, ‘tral’, ‘Miss’, ‘ion’, ‘Hall’.
History
The York’s Central Mission, a beacon of unity founded by members of the York Centenary Chapel, was operational in the late 19th century.
Active by 1892, it famously hosted a Christmas dinner for 1,000 impoverished children, with notable support from Sir Joseph Terry of Terry’s of York.
1890s – Swinegate, the Central Mission Hall would soon be built further down the road Source: York Press
Originating at Layerthorpe Methodist Mission, the mission relocated several times.
It finally settled in the newly built City of York Central Mission Hall on Swinegate between 1910 and 1919, which is likely when the historic sign was installed.
Despite requisition during World War I in 1915, the mission’s enduring spirit has left a legacy of community and faith that still resonates in York.
In 1919, after merging with the Monk Bar United Methodist Chapel, it relocated, only to unite with York City Mission in 1932 following the Methodist Church unification.
Now, the building is a popular restaurant and bar, Baltimore.
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