St Mary's Church, Goathland

The church, in 2017

St Mary's Church is the parish church of Goathland, a village in North Yorkshire, in England.

A hermitage chapel was built in Goathland in the 11th or 12th century, and a second St Mary's chapel was recorded in 1568. ^[1] It was demolished in the early 19th century, and a new church was completed in 1820, although it was described in the Victoria County History as "a poor structure". ^[2] Between 1894 and 1896, the current church was built, to a design by Walter Brierley. ^[3] It is in the Perpendicular Gothic style, with influence from the arts and crafts movement. ^[1] The church was grade II* listed in 1969, along with its steps and handrail. ^[3]

View from the nave into the chancel

The church is built of sandstone with a stone slate roof. It consists of a nave, a south porch, a choir, a south organ chamber and a vestry under a central tower, and a chancel. The tower has three stages, angle buttresses, and a southwest stair turret. On the south front is a doorway with a pointed arch and a three-light square-headed window, and on the north front is a three-light round-headed window with a hood mould. The bell openings have one or two lights, on the north and south fronts are clock faces, and at the top is a plain parapet with moulded coping, and a weathervane. The porch is approached by steps with a wrought iron handrail. ^{[3] [4]}

Inside, there is a bowl font dating from around 1100, brought from a demolished church in Egton. It has an elaborate timber cover, constructed in 1903. There is a 12th-century altar slab, probably from the hermitage chapel, and a grave slab dating from 1695. The pulpit is 17th century, while the choir fittings are by Brierely, and other fittings including the altar and reredos are by Robert Thompson. ^[3] The stained glass in the east and south windows is from the early 20th century, while the west windows have stained glass inserted to celebrate the Millennium. ^[1]

See also

• Grade II* listed churches in North Yorkshire (district)
• Listed buildings in Goathland

References

1. "St Mary". National Churches Trust. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
2. Page, William (1923). A History of the County of York North Riding: Volume 2. London: Victoria County History. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
3. Historic England. "CHURCH OF ST MARY ENTRANCE STEPS AND ATTACHED HANDRAIL (1174270)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 October 2024.
4. Grenville, Jane; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2023) [1966]. Yorkshire: The North Riding. The Buildings of England. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. ISBN   978-0-300-25903-2.