|
ST. ANDREW'S CHURCH
East Heslerton
Introduction
Welcome to our Church, I hope you enjoy your visit. This guide give’s you an
insight as to its design and origin. It is now owned by the Historic Churches
Trust who maintain the fabric of the building, the local PCC maintains the
Churchyard.
This church is the third to have occupied this site (Bulmer 1892) The previous
one having been a chapel of ease.
St. Andrews Church was designed in 1873 for Sir Tatton Sykes of Sledmere House
by the famous Victorian Ecclesiastical Architect George Edmund Street RA.
The
Church comprises of chancel, nave, a western nartex porch, vestry, baptistery,
and a northern tower, with a spire. (Bulmer 1892).Building work was completed in
1877. The original drawings are still held at the R I B A. All the stained glass
is made by Clayton and Bell of London who as a tribute to Sir Tatton put a black
shield of T.S. in the corner of most windows making it a unique scheme. (Bulmer,
Hutchinson). The exquisite wrought iron work is all done by Potter and sons of
Hull.(Hutchinson).
It was the most expensive Church designed by Street, one that Sir Tatton Sykes
completely rebuilt, having also renovated another 13 churches in the local area.
A bust of him is placed in the window near the pulpit simply inscribed with the
words Tatton. The last church Sir Tatton renovated before his death in 1913 was
our neighbouring village of Sherburn done in 1912, also well worth a visit.
(John Hutchinson Street in Yorkshire).
Lynchgate and graveyard
Before entering the Churchyard you have passed through the Lynchgate and arch.
This is of a Norman-Revival Gothic design and cost £306 when
completed.(Hutchinson ). The original gates rotted in the late 1950’s when it
was decided to replace them with the present gates. These are dedicated to Mr
Christopher Lumley who was the Churchwarden of this church for 40 years who died
just before they were dedicated by the Bishop of Selby.
The wall around the churchyard and cross to the left of the lynchgate are
typical of Sir Tattons restorations in the 1860 where they were related in style
to the design of the church.
External structure
The building’s edifice is of Aislaby stone, in the Early English style of
Architecture, the most striking feature is the Spire which rises from its
buttressed square into the octagonal spire reaching to a height of 105 feet with
the weather cock on its pinnacle.
On the tower above the louver boards are Statues of the four fathers of the
Latin Church, St Ambrose, St Augustine, St Gregory, and St Jerome. These are by
James Redfern and were originally intended for the North porch of Bristol
Cathedral (Bulmer 1892).However they caused such a furore at having been put
there because they were too papistical, it was decided at a meeting in the
Colston Hall at which “incredibly strong language was used” (IBID) they should
be removed, Street rescued them and put them on the spire; thus saving Sir
Tatton £88 on the final accounts. Within the spire there are three bells these
were founded by Taylor’s in 1877, one bell is able to be rung from in front of
the Vestry if necessary.
The porch at the West end of the Church is supported by two Granite pillars
(Bulmer), it is called the “Howsham porch” and is a variation on the tower of St
Mary Magdalene, Paddington, which traces its ancestry back to Lostwithiel:
(Hutchinson). Note the small castles at the top of the fall down rainwater
pipes.
The East end cross was restored by Redman and sons of Cloughton in 1984, the
weather vane which blew off in 1964 was restored and put up in1992,by Sherburn
Forge. The West end cross blew of on Christmas eve 1997,and is being restored.
Nave
The nave has oak pews to seat 100 persons on an oak floor, the rest of the
church floor is made up of encaustic tiles. Its roof is boarded with a
magnificent wooden barrel roof upon which boards are mounted.(Bulmer)
The windows are all of stained glass. The west window consists of five lights
representing scenes of Christ’s birth. To the North the windows are of the three
archangels St Gabriel, St Michael and St Raphael, On the South side are the
three patron Saints of England, Scotland, and Ireland namely: St George, St
Andrew and St Patrick.(Bulmer)
At the South East corner of the nave stands the pulpit, a very fine piece of
work of Caen Stone and Shell Marble. At the North East corner there stands a
brass lectern of an eagle, between is the Litany desk.(Bulmer).
The lower stage of the tower now houses the organ, originally this area had
nothing in it. The organ is not the original harmonium which was in the chancel,
but came from a disused church in 1937in York. On the West wall of the tower is
the Genesis window, showing the creation, garden of Eden and the Noah’s flood.
It is a shame that the organ partly covers the “Garden of Eden panel” which in
its time must have been a very daring piece of mild impropriety art.(Hutchinson).
The North window shows Old Testament Kings.
Above the door to the Vestry is a beautiful carving of the Annunciation, this we
think is by Redman.(Neave)
Baptistry
This is to the immediate South of the Western Door, in the South Eastern corner
of the Church off the Nave separated by wrought ironwork,being enclose by gates.
Chancel
The Chancel is reached form the Nave by going up two steps through the centre
gates of Potter and Sons wrought iron work, note this has a shield to Christ in
Greek letters of IHS. This also has oak stalls.
Look up to the roof and you see it is groined (Bulmer), This is of a “Bern high
Chancel” design.
As in the nave the stained glass lights are single representing six different
scenes at the end of Christ’s life. The last supper,Garden of Gethsemanee,
Crusification, Burial, Empty Tomb, to the resurrection. The North side is
Quadpartite to house the organ recess, the South, Sexpartite (Hutchinson).
Sancturary
The sancrarium is separated from the chancel by a brass rail, and raises three
steps to the communium table, above which is a triptych in five panels, painted
in gold and colour, representing the “Te Deum Laudamus”.(Together we worship )
(Bulmer)
Conclusion
I hope that this guide has helped the reader appreciate the beauty of our small
church.
It is a true reflection of the Dedication of Sir Tatton to having beautiful
places of worship, and to Edmund Street’s Ecclesiastical Architectural ability.
One thing that must always be born in mind St Andrews is a place of worship. It
is a real living church, which has regular services, namely Holy Communion on
the first Sunday of the month and the Evening Song on the third Sunday of the
month. Anybody who wishes to come to any of these services is more than welcome.
Fund Raising
The next “minor “ project is to repair the bells which the ropes are rotten and
the bells wheels are all broken.
If any reader would like to make a donotion to the Historic Churches Trust or
PCC no matter how
big or small, it will be gladly received. There is a donation box behind the
last pew in the Church. Thank you.
Acknowlegements
Redman and sons Cloughton for the East end Cross
Sherburn Forge for the weather vane.
The author David Lumley wishes to express thanks to the support of our incumbent
The Rev Chris Hayes and Charles Clarkson of the Historic Churches Trust, together with the Parochical Council.
Whose encouragement made this account possible.
Bibliograpy
Bulmer’s Directory of 1892.
Hutchinson G E Street in East Yorkshire.
IBID p178-183 for an account of this controversy.
Neave David Yorkshire, York And The East Riding 1995 Puffin.
|
