Church of St Lawrence, Kirby Sigston

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Church of St Lawrence
St Lawrence Church, Kirby Sigston (geograph 2028080).jpg
St Lawrence Church, Kirby Sigston
Church of St Lawrence, Kirby Sigston
54°20′42″N1°21′36″W / 54.345°N 1.360°W / 54.345; -1.360
OS grid reference SE416946
Location Kirby Sigston, North Yorkshire
CountryEngland
Denomination Anglican
Website Official webpage
History
StatusParish church
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Administration
Diocese York
Archdeaconry Cleveland
Deanery Mowbray
Benefice Northallerton with Kirby Sigston
Parish Kirby Sigston

The Church of St Lawrence is an Anglican place of worship in the village of Kirby Sigston in North Yorkshire, England. The oldest part of the church dates back to the 12th century, although the presence of the name Kirby Sigston suggests that a church may have been in the village at the time of the Domesday survey. The village lies to the north of the church, and to the east is the site of a deserted medieval village for which the church is purported to have served. The church building is now a grade I listed structure.

Contents

History

The Church of St Lawrence lies on a ridge of land just to the south of the village of Kirby Sigston, near to the remains of Sigston Castle. [1] It is by a lake and close to the 19th century rectory. [2] The main body of the church dates back to c. 1190, [3] and this oldest section of the church consisted of just a chancel and a nave, but in 1200, the north aisle was added and the chancel was extended out eastwards. [4] The tower is of Norman origin, but was largely rebuilt during the 18th century. [5] The chancel shows evidence of having an arcade of two bays, possibly from the 14th century, and the capitals have dragons carved into them, something which Pevsner states is common for this area of the north of England. [6] The base of the font dates back to the 13th century being carved from Frosterley Marble, and the bowl dates back to 1662. [7] The stained glass displays various coats of arms, including that of the Colville family. This window used to be in the east window, but is now in a window by the aisle. [8] The church was restored in the 1890s by Temple Moore, and during this time, the south porch was installed. [9] [4] The church was grade I listed in 1970. [9]

Some archaeological evidence points to the church building being possibly larger than it currently is, and that it was located quite close to a village, some 0.5 miles (0.80 km) to the east. [10] The name of the village is first recorded in 1088 for Kirby (Kirkja-by(r)), and in 1086 in the Domesday Book for Sigston (Sig(h)estun). [11] Many of the places that have names beginning with Kirkby or Kirby, have documented evidence showing churches in either the eight, ninth, tenth or eleventh centuries. So the name could indicate a church of earlier origin than the current building. [12] Foundation stones discovered during the renovations of the 1890s are believed to be from an earlier church than the current structure. [7]

The church is in the benefice of Kirby Sigston, part of the Deanery of Mowbray and the Archdeaconry of Cleveland, and is in the Diocese of York. [13] In the 14th century, difficulties arose in the provision of advowson of the church; the prior and abbey at Durham laid claim, and with the assistance of Edward III, they installed their preferred priest, John de Halnaby, to the benefice. However, the pope wanted 'his man', Thomas de Carleton, to be the incumbent at Kirby Sigston. de Carleton won out, but thereafter, and until the Dissolution in the 1530s, the advowson remained with Durham. [14]

The churchyard contains the grave of Francis Lascelles. [15]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Page 1968, p. 405.
  2. ↑ Pevsner, Nikolaus (2002) [1966]. The buildings of England; Yorkshire, the North Riding. London: Yale University Press. p. 211. ISBN   0-300-09665-8.
  3. ↑ Lloyd, Chris (2 August 2024). "Hitting the headlines: looking back". Darlington & Stockton Times. No. 2024–31. p. 28. ISSN   2516-5348.
  4. 1 2 Page 1968, p. 408.
  5. ↑ Kennet, David (April 2019). "Brick and its Uses by the Church of England: The Archdeaconry of Cleveland, Yorkshire, 1541-1836". Information (141). British Brick Society: 27. ISSN   0960-7870.
  6. ↑ Pevsner, Nikolaus (2002) [1966]. The buildings of England; Yorkshire, the North Riding. London: Yale University Press. p. 212. ISBN   0-300-09665-8.
  7. 1 2 "Restoration of Kirby Sigston church". The York Herald. No. 12314. 21 November 1890. p. 4.
  8. ↑ Brown, William (1913). "Heraldic glass from Ingleby Arncliffe and Kirby Sigston churches". Yorkshire Archaeological Journal. 22. Leeds: Yorkshire Archaeological Society: 138. ISSN   0084-4276.
  9. 1 2 Historic England. "Church of St Lawrence (Grade I) (1150888)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 12 February 2025.
  10. ↑ Whellan, T (1859). History and topography of the City of York, and the North Riding of Yorkshire, volume II. Beverley: John Green. p. 334. OCLC   931180030.
  11. ↑ Smith, A. H. (1979) [1928]. The Place Names of the North Riding of Yorkshire. English Place Name Society. pp. 211–212. OCLC   19714705.
  12. ↑ Pickles, Thomas (2018). Kingship, society, and the church in Anglo-Saxon Yorkshire. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 249. ISBN   978-0-19-881877-9.
  13. ↑ "St Lawrence". achurchnearyou.com. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
  14. ↑ Page 1968, p. 409.
  15. ↑ Lloyd, Chris (3 July 2020). "A family history steeped in slavery". Darlington & Stockton Times. No. 2020–27. p. 34. ISSN   2516-5348.

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