St John’s Church is part of the Rainbow Parish centred on Kirkby Lonsdale.
It is thought there has been a church at Hutton Roof as early as the 13th Century. The present church was designed by Paley and Austin and consecrated in 1881.
For more information or access to the church please contact Anne Huntington at the village post office or phone on 015242 71213
Regular services:
2nd Sunday of the month : Morning Service 11am
4th Sunday of the month : Holy Communion 11am
Laying the Foundation Stone – 25th June 1880
A full report was printed in the Lancaster Guardian and is transcribed here with their kind permission.
Consecration of the Church – 9th August 1881
A full report was printed in the Westmorland Gazette and is transcribed here with their kind permission.
Rev Theodore Bayley Hardy, VC, DSO, MC.
Rev Hardy is the most celebrated vicar of Hutton Roof and 2018 was the 100th anniversary of his death. He was the vicar of Hutton Roof from 1913 to 1918 and is the most decorated non-combatant in the First World War.
Although in his 50s, the Rev Hardy was determined to join up to serve at the front. It took a lot of persistence to persuade the authorities of this, but in 1917 he was with the 8th Lincolns at the Battle of Passchendaele.
In September of 1917 he was awarded his first decoration, the Distinguished Service Order and just over a month later in October the Military Cross.
For three very brave and selfless actions carried out on the 5th, 25th and 27th of April the Reverend Hardy was awarded the highest honour, the Victoria Cross. When he heard of his VC nomination his reaction was typical of the man, “I really must protest”.
The Rev Hardy’s Victoria Cross was presented by the King, at Frohen-le-Grand on 9th August 9th 1918. On September 17th he was appointed Chaplain to His Majesty. The King hoped that he would be able to prise the Reverend Hardy away from the dangers of the frontline but he refused all offers to leave “the boys”.
In 2010, a World Film Premiere of the film “Hardy VC – His life and Ministry 1863 – 1918” was played in Hutton Roof. This film is a Charlie Shea-Simonds production for the Museum of Army Chaplaincy and was shown at a packed Hutton Roof Village Hall with the evening presented by Charlie Shea-Simonds. Other members of the production team were also present along with many distinguished visitors and villagers.
A Thanksgiving Service for the life of T.B. Hardy was held at St. John’s Church on Sunday 19th October 2008. 82 people attended the service, coming from all over the country with the address given by the Reverend P. A. Eagles, C.F., the Assistant Chaplain General.
The very moving service was followed by refreshments at the nearby Village Hall. Here there were also displays of pictures and documents provided by Anne Huntington from Hutton Roof Post Office and from Bentham Grammer School from the time when Hardy was its headmaster. Full Report including pictures and sound