Leeds City Centre walking tour
Visit six city centre churches in Leeds, following the directions below. An easy city centre walk,
with plenty of shops, cafes and restaurants on the route.
WAKING FROM LEEDS STATION TO LEEDS MINSTER (10 mins)
If arriving at the Bus station, Leeds Minster is opposite you
1. Exit through ticket barriers
2. Leave station by exit straight ahead
3. Turn right – you will see a clock tower ahead
4. Follow the path round to the left to a road junction (Boar Lane)
5. Turn right
6. Pass Holy Trinity Church with the new Trinity Shopping Centre behind it on your left
7. Continue to a large circular building ahead (Corn Exchange)
8. Cross to the Corn Exchange and bear left with the Corn Exchange on your right
9. Bear right onto Call Lane with bus shelters on the opposite side of then road
10. Follow along Call Lane to traffic lights
11. Turn right into Kirkgate, you will now see the Minster ahead
12. Pass under the railway bridge and continue along Kirkgate to Leeds Minster.
LEEDS MINSTER (formerly LEEDS PARISH CHURCH)
This famous early Victorian Gothic parish church by R D Chantrell was created by Walter Hook,
who had arrived as Vicar of Leeds in the year that Victoria became Queen. In a mixture of
Decorated and Perpendicular styles, it contains some unusual features, including a large space in
front of the High Altar that allows the congregation to ”draw near”. The church has very
interesting stained glass and monuments; also a fine pulpit and unique organ case.
The Minster and café will be open on Saturday 13th September from 9am – 1pm.
LEEDS MINSTER TO HOLY TRINITY, BOAR LANE
1.
2.
3.
4.
Exit Minster and turn left
Ahead of you the road forks. Take the right fork into Kirkgate - SP ‘Markets Multi Story’
Continue along Kirkgate (cross Call Lane - traffic lights)
Continue along Kirkgate (cross Briggate - traffic lights)
5. (To take the scenic route for fast walkers turn right on Briggate to the Victoria Quarter
(large canopy on the left of Briggate) and turn left in the arcade. Then complete the square
to pick up the direct route)
6. Continue the Kirkgate route ahead which becomes Commercial Street which is
pedestrianized
7. Turn left into Trinity Street
8. Holy Trinity Church is ahead of you
9. From inside the Trinity Shopping Centre there is a good view of the church through the
glass dome
10. Go down the escalator to the Lower ground floor and take the exit on your left
11. Holy Trinity Church entrance is in your left
HOLY TRINITY, Boar Lane
A Wren-style church of 1722 by William Etty, the only classical church of the period in Central
Leeds, with contemporary fittings. The spire fell down and was rebuilt by Chantrell (see above) in
1839. Glass includes work by William Wailes and Powell Brothers. The church has a fine acoustic.
Unfortunately, there is a wedding on Saturday 13th September, so it is not possible to see the
inside of the church, but the café and toilet facilities are available.
HOLY TRINITY TO ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST
1. Exit church and enter Trinity Shopping Centre on you right
2. Take escalators up 2 floors to see the magnificent views of Holy Trinity through the glad
dome
3. Exit the shopping centre into Trinity Street (where you entered) continue ahead until you
reach The Headrow
4. Cross The Headrow, turn right, take the first turn left and walk up Briggate, about 50 yards
St John’s is on your left up a short flight of steps
ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST, New Briggate
A rare Gothic Survival church of 1632-4, paid for by John Harrison, a wealthy cloth merchant and
philanthropist. It is double naved but the best feature is its wealth of carved woodwork - pews,
twin screens and roof timbers, all by Francis Gunby, a native of Leeds, who also produced equally
fine screens at Slaidburn Church and Wakefield Cathedral, a fine pulpit for Bishopthorpe Palace
(now in Sussex) and plaster ceilings at Temple Newsam. The church is now under the care of the
Churches Conservation Trust.
The church will be open from 11am – 3pm on Saturday 13th September.
ST JOHN THE EVANGLIST TO ST GEORGE’S CRYPT
1. Exit church and turn right, then immediate right pass west end of church and enter small
public gardens
2. Exit gardens through gate on left ahead of you
3. Turn left into Merrion street
4. Go across crossroads ahead of you on crossings with pedestrian lights
5. Go down the hill and cross next set of lights
6. Pass RC Cathedral on left and cross third set of lights to Town Hall
7. Cross the road and continue straight on
8. Cross another road to Leeds General Infirmary (you will see St George’s ahead of you
9. The crypt entrance is at the near end
ST GEORGE’S, Great George Street
Early Victorian Gothic of 1836-8 (by John Clark). Crypt Chapel, recently restored, with paintings by
Steve Simpson of Wakefield on the theme of the Last Supper.
Unfortunately, St George’s is not open on Saturday’s, but you can get a good look round the
outside of the church.
ST GEORGE’S TO ST ANNE’S ROMAN CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL
1. Retrace route back to St Anne’s which you passed on the way down
2. When you have passed the Town Hall cross twice (ie to diagonally opposite corner)
3. Turn right into Cookridge Street and enter the cathedral which is on your left
LEEDS CATHEDRAL (St Anne’s)
Leeds’s Roman Catholic Cathedral of 1838 was compulsorily purchased by Leeds Council in 1901
because it was in the way of necessary road widening for the tramway. The City paid for its
replacement, which was designed by J H Eastwood. This fine example from the Arts & Craft
movement has been thrice re-ordered; in 1954, in the early 1960s and most recently in 2005/6.
The interior fittings include a Reredos by A W N Pugin, from the original church. The most recent
addition is a brand new pipe organ by Klais, replacing the previous electronic instrument.
St Anne’s Cathedral is open from 10am – 12 o’clock and from 2pm – 6pm on Saturday 13th
September.
ST ANNE’S TO MILL HILL CHAPEL
1.
2.
3.
4.
Exit Cathedral and turn left
Cross Headrow
Continue ahead
Mill Hill Chapel is on the left at the bottom just before the station
MILL HILL UNITARIAN CHAPEL, Park Row
This little chapel was designed by Bowman & Crowther in 1847/8. It replaced a seventeenth
century chapel where, in the following century, Joseph Priestley was Minister. Although small, the
chapel contains stained glass by, among others, Powell and Morris; also, a reredos with mosaics by
Salviati (c1884).
Mill Hill Chapel will be open from 10am – 4pm on Saturday 13th September.
MILL HILL CHAPEL TO THE RAILWAY OR BUS STATION
1. Exit Chapel turn left, the railway station is ahead of you
2. To go to the bus station turn left before the crossing to the train station and go past Holy
Trinity Church on your left
3. Cross the road to the Corn Exchange and bear left with the Corn Exchange on your right
4. Bear right onto Call Lane with bus shelters on the opposite side of then road
5. Follow along Call Lane to traffic lights
6. Turn right into Kirkgate, the bus station will be ahead of you.