Church Heritage Record 643169

A stone cross head, which has been dated to the 10th or 11th century, is evidence that there was a place of worship on the site in Saxon times, although nothing remains of the original building.  The Normans originally built the nave, chancel and tower in the late 12th century. The building has been altered and restored over the years but there remains some architectural evidence of the period.

The Hungate family added the south chapel to the original Norman nave around 1290. It was dedicated to St Mary and was the burial place for the family. A licence for a chaplain was granted in 1292 by Henry de Lacy (the landowner).

The church tower was refaced in the late 15th century and restored during the mid 19thcentury and in 1907. 

In 1876 a Victorian restoration raised the floor level, replaced the pews, reflagged the nave, tiled the chancel floor, and repaired and replastered walls. An organ was placed in the Hungate chapel.

1907  - Plaster was removed from the internal walls. The stone cross was placed on the east gable end. The chancel and sanctuary walls were rebuttressed.

1943 – Organ moved from the Hungate chapel to the west end tower

1945 – Vestry demolished

1946/47  - Stone font repositioned from the tower baptistery.

1948 – New vestry was completed using some of the old stone.

1950 – War memorial built in churchyard by British Legion.

1960 – Roof reslated and stonework  remortared.

1980’s – Boiler house demolished and the current one built

1981 – The bells were restored and rehung

1995 - Following a lightning strike, the roof and parts of the tower belfry were replaced.

The accommodation briefly comprises:

West Tower

Nave (of 4 bays)

Chancel

South (Hungate) Chapel (of 2 bays)

South Porch with attached boiler house

Vestry to the north of the Chancel

The Hungate Chapel

Exterior

The chapel is built of coursed rubble. Externally the chapel is of 3 bays divided by buttresses with diagonal corner buttresses at east and west ends. The south wall has 3

2-light traceried windows. A larger 2-light traceried window features at the east end, and a smaller 2-light window at high level at the west end. All of the windows are plain glazed with the exception of the centre window on the south elevation which contains stained glass.

The level of the roof has been raised at some point as evidenced by the change in coursing. The lower section of the south and east walls are part rendered. There is evidence of a former doorway in the south wall. An air grille at the base of the east wall presumably ventilates the floor void.

The south chapel joins the nave, separated by a two-bay arcade. The interior is similar to that of the nave with a similar roof, dating to 1908 and exposed masonry walls. The majority of the floor is occupied by a large timber pew platform and altar dais. There is a narrow stone flag aisle running north – south. A cast iron heating pipe runs along the aisle at the side of the pew platform.

The majority of the pews have been removed and a loose carpet fitted to provide an area for children’s activities and worship. The altar table and rails are by Robert Thompson (the ‘mouseman’).

The Nave:

The nave is a large uninterrupted space with exposed roof structure, exposed stone walls and stone flag floor with pews on timber platforms. There is a central single aisle. The roof is understood to date from 1908 and is somewhat ‘Arts and Crafts’ in style.

The walls are of exposed coursed rubble stone which have been pointed with a dark cementitious mortar. There is a three-light window to the right of the south door and a narrow lancet to the left. On the opposite north wall are two two-light windows.

Large diameter cast-iron heating pipes run along the edge of the pew platforms, along the central aisle with a cast-iron radiator in the north east corner of the nave and two further radiators near the font. The heating pipes return along the side walls.

The Chancel:

This is one of the most prominent external elevations of the building, comprising a large wall of coursed rubble stonework with two lancet windows, one to the choir and one to the sanctuary.  Between the two, the former chancel south doorway has been walled up.

Inside, the chancel floor is set at a higher level to that of the nave and is approached via two steps. The interior is of a similar style to that of the nave with a continuation of the 1908 roof structure, exposed masonry walls, but on this occasion a floor of decorative and encaustic tiling. The walls feature a collection of monuments to the Hungate Family.

The West Tower:

The structure is a tall two stage tower with diagonal buttresses. The roof is a pyramidal timber structure covered with Westmoreland slates. There are four gilded open clock faces on the external north, south and west elevations

The belfry contains a ring of three bells. Set below the belfry is the ringing chamber which contains the clock mechanism. The belfry and ringing chamber are accessed from the south via a stone spiral staircase

The tower base is accessed from the nave and is mainly occupied by the organ which is set within the organ loft.

The Vestry:

The vestry is a small lean-to single storey addition on the north side of the chancel.

The South Porch and Boiler House:

This is a simple stone built structure with stone slate roof, which abuts the west wall of the south chapel. It was undoubtedly built to protect the Norman south door.

Internally, the porch has an exposed timber roof and a stone flag floor. A timber framed and panelled door leads into the nave. Abutting the west side of the porch is a small stone lean-to boiler house which was constructed approximately 15 years ago.

1. There is a stone cross head displayed in a niche in the north wall of the chancel – evidence of Saxon church/chapel on the site.
2. There are two Norman windows – one in the north chancel wall and one above and to the left of the south door.
3. The Norman stone font has an octagonal bowl with an oak cover (1947)
4. A Victorian stained glass window overlooks the coloured tiled floor of both the sanctuary and the chancel.
5. The stained glass in the south wall of the Hungate chapel is the work of Heaton, Butler and Bayne of London, 1895.
6. The organ is a pipe organ by Foster and Andrews and is situated at the west end of the nave in the archway of the tower. It is understood that the organ remains largely unaltered and is one of only two surviving such designs.
7. Robert Thompson of Kilburn (mouseman) furniture - credence table, communion rails in Hungate chapel, altar table in Hungate chapel, reredos in the chancel.
8. Wooden pulpit designed by architect Walter Brierley of York – dedicated September 1926.
9. Four large 17th century ledger stones to members of the Hungate Family - chancel  north wall - reset grave cover of Sir Francis Hungate, 4th baronet d. 1710. Chancel south wall – 3 reset grave slabs transferred from Hungate chapel in 1886. They were restored in 1997 with some new stonework – achieved through generous donations of Hungate Family Historical Society in USA. They are dedicated to Sir Philip Hungate of Huddlestone Hall d. 1690, Sir Charles Carrington Hungate, Baronet of Newthorpe d. 1749 and Margaret Hungate, wife of Sir Francis d. 1674.
10.  A monument to the Hawke children on the north side of the Chancel 1783 by JF Moore of London.
11. The tower contains has one of the oldest peals of  three bells in an English parish church. The bells bear the marks of John Danyell of London 1468, and as such are one of the oldest surviving sets in the country.