In the porch
Whist in the porch point out the glazed outer porch doors which were installed in 1978, paid for by public funding in memory of deceased parishioners (see plaque on left in the porch). In 1982 the porch was entirely reroofed in stainless steel with an oak board ceiling.
Edward Brown plaque – on the right. Edward, a local parishioner, having been made redundant in his 50s, paid for himself to learn stonemasonry on a six month course in London, built a studio in his garden and, under the guidance of Ronald Simms, our (then) inspecting architect, voluntarily spent 10 years, working 9.00 – 5.00 each day, cleaning and restoring the church both inside and out during the 1980s and 1990s, carving and replacing two stone crosses, removing the wooden platform on which the pews stood and taking down the wooden dado panels that were on the church walls, helping install new central heating etc, etc.
Outside the porch
The porch was a later edition, with the arch – C16th Tudor style – flatter and squarer and heavier. It was probably originally built when the chapel was altered to be a place for the village – a Chapel of Ease – acting like a parish church.
Lots of life events and practical business were conducted in church porches, from receiving the coffin ahead of burials, to paying rents and undertaking small bits of church and religious admin. So, porches were an important marker of that change.
The porch is surmounted by a cross carved and installed by Edward Brown in 1989. He also replaced the missing pieces of the sundial.
Now we go round the outside. Look out for Walter’s Coat of Arms. How many are there in total?
The tower
The tower was built not long after Walter’s death. Outside the tower we can see the dressed ashlar faced with stone to blend in with the rest. Some of it is sandy – not very grey/white – that stone must have come from a different place in the quarry.
Stand back and see the belfry windows which have been infilled with C17 and C18
brick and a different sort of limestone and re-covered as part of the recent repair works.
Stand back and spot some of the gargoyles (comical/ugly faces) near the top of the tower each having a spout (where their mouth should be) to take the rainwater away. It shoots the water away from the building. (Faces without spouts are called grotesques). The nave roof has gullies to take away the water.
At the base of the tower are the quatrefoils – decorative motifs formed by the overlapping outline of four partially intersecting circles of equal diameter. They are a different sort of limestone – acid rain has dissolved some of that limestone.
Stand back and look up at the west side of the tower at the statue of St. Augustine of Hippo, North Africa, to whom the church is dedicated. (Not to be confused with the other St. Augustine from Rome, who went to Canterbury). St. Augustine of Hippo was a fourth-century Christian bishop and theologian. (The statue was carved in the 1980s by Fiona Bowling – who was one of the York Minster stonemasons – she now has her own business).
The present West window would be the original window which was taken out when the tower was added and the window was brought out further West.
North side
On the North side of the church is the North door, another original door – over 600 years old. At one time it was probably the main door as on the right of it was a stoup for holy water with which people used to bless themselves before they entered the church. Also we have an old photograph showing a path to the North door from the bridge/ford over the beck. (In the past the North door was referred to as the Devil’s Door by those who were superstitious).
Turn round and point out the gravestone of the two workhouse boys who were drowned in the beck whilst on a school nature walk. The younger boy fell into the back and the older boy jumped in to save him – but sadly they both drowned.
It’s wondered if the Vestry was once a small chapel – maybe served as a side chapel? The door to the Vestry is a newer door, (probably C19th) than the N & S doors – which are the original doors.
East side
Continue round to the East side. Above the East window on the outside is a cross, carved by Edward Brown, which probably replaced a crucifix.
South side
On the south side we can better see the uniformity with the windows and the pinnacles. We can see the large blocks of stone and small gaps filled in with limestone cement. The buttresses added extra strength to the relatively thin walls. The crenulated top (battlements) was contemporary to the building times.
The priest’s door is where the priest entered the church straight into the Chancel without having to walk up the nave where the congregation were sitting.
Back to the porch – modern day
We’re extremely proud of both our Walter and our church that he built and today, over 600 years since it was built, it is very much a living church with weekly Sunday services and additional services for festivals. We enjoy close connections with Skirlaugh C of E Primary School who also use the church for their end of term services and Harvest Festival and for curriculum activities.
The Church is open every day for visitors to look round or for private prayer and to light a candle. For the last 16 years we’ve held a weekly Coffee Shop every Tuesday morning serving tea, coffee and home-made cakes etc. From humble beginnings when we had four or five customers, we are now getting 40 or more. Two years ago we opened a New2You charity chop in Church Cottage to run alongside the Coffee shop. Both ventures give half of their profits to different charities every six months.
We’re very grateful to the National Heritage Lottery Fund for donating half of our recent repair costs and to other funding bodies. Also to the NLHF for funding our two year programme of Heritage Activities.