(New) St Oswald's ChurchThe new church of St Oswald was consecrated on 24th December 1866 by the Archbishop of York, William Thompson, replacing the small 12th century church near the river Ouse. Newspaper reports at the time say that a new vicar, Rev. H M Clifford, instigated the project, not least, because the old church was far too small for the needs of the growing parish.
(Click HERE to read a transcript of the dedication ceremony) The church was designed by Darlington architect J P Prichett (junior) to have a capacity of 450 people. It has a tall, wide nave with aisles on each side and transepts with rose windows. Corbels supporting the roof timbers are decorated by finely carved angels playing musical instruments. The chancel has a Venetian glass mosaic reredos by Salviati, with Clayton and Bell stained glass in the nave depicting St Oswald. Stained glass throughout the building is also of a high quality, but replaces the original Morris & Company windows which were destroyed in a disastrous fire in 1877. The church was quickly rebuilt and re-dedicated on 1st March 1878. The original church had an elegant, slender steeple, which at 42m high was a considerable local landmark (picture courtesy Cardindex). It was taken down in 1924 after concerns about its structural stability, possibly a result of the earlier fire. The new belfry was designed by York architect, Walter Brierley, who also designed the Great War memorial in front of the church and two fine carved wooden memorials to local men. |
Repairs and Improvements
The Church has received a National Lottery grant of £53,800 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to restore the beautiful stained glass window in its north transept.
But further works are needed to the roof and masonry.
Church leaders have drawn up plans for a more dramatic transformation of the church to make it more usable by the community throughout the week.
Architects have been appointed and fund raising has begun to try and raise the £850,000 needed for this ambitious plan, named 'Project 150'.
The Church has received a National Lottery grant of £53,800 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to restore the beautiful stained glass window in its north transept.
But further works are needed to the roof and masonry.
Church leaders have drawn up plans for a more dramatic transformation of the church to make it more usable by the community throughout the week.
Architects have been appointed and fund raising has begun to try and raise the £850,000 needed for this ambitious plan, named 'Project 150'.
Descriptions of the Church
Pevsner’s Buildings of England: Yorkshire: York and the East Riding, p. 427 “St Oswald. 1866 by J. P. Pritchett junior. Quite big in the Decorated Style. Aisled and clerestoried nave, aisled chancel, [with] transepts and a tall south-west tower, originally with a spire. Stone with Welsh slate roof. Vestry added 1875. The church was gutted by fire in 1877 but fully restored and reopened 1878. The spire was removed and a new flat-topped belfry-stage built by Brierley, 1923-4. The arcades have capitals of a very free version of what was called ‘French Early Gothic’ - incorporating naturalistic motifs. REREDOS. Mosaic by Salviati; FONT. Canopy by Brierley, 1919; PULPIT. Alabaster and Caen stone, 1866 by Pritchett, carved by Forsyth; STAINED GLASS. Plenty but the William Morris glass of 1874 was destroyed in the fire. The North transept windows, including the rose window, and windows in the south transept and south chapel are by Clayton & Bell 1878-9. Also probably the east window. Other windows by Hughes. Porch windows by Burlison & Grylls, 1902; HATCHMENTS. Two from the old church for Robert Oates d.1763 and William Richardson d.1816. WAR MEMORIAL CROSS, 1920 by Brierley & Rutherford.” ********************************************************************************************************************************* Victoria County History: County of York. East Riding. Vol 3, p. 35 “A new church of ST. OSWALD WAS BUILT ON Fulford Road to replace the old one and was opened in 1866. It is of stone and consists of an aisled chancel, with north and south chapels, an aisled and clerestoried nave, transepts, and south-west tower, originally with a spire. The architect was J. P. Pritchett. A vestry was added in 1875. The church was burnt out in 1877 but restored and reopened early in 1878. The unsafe spire was removed and the belfry stage of the tower rebuilt in 1924. The 18th century font was transferred from the old church.” ************************************************************************************* Listed Buildings Text - 1986 “Church 1877-8 by J. P. Pritchett. Sandstone masonry with ashlar dressings and Welsh slate roof. South-west tower, 4-bay aisled nave with west and south entrances and transepts, 2-bay chancel with south chapel and vestry and single north organ bay. Gothic Revival, early C14 style with Early Gothic style decoration to interior. West Entrance: double plank doors in pointed surround and two orders of arches with roll-moulding on nook-shafts with foliate capitals, under hood-mould with face stops. Above a 4-light window with geometrial tracery to head. 5-stage embattled tower: angle buttresses with off-sets. Plinth. South entrance to 1st stage, a pointed plank door within surround with roll-moulding on pilasters. 2-light window with Geometrical tracery to head. Nave, transept and chancel: buttresses with off-sets. Plinth. 2- and 3-light traceried windows. Nave clerestory has quatrefoil window. Transept has rose window to each gable end. Chancel has trefoil-headed priest’s doorway to south with plank door. Five-light traceried east window. Interior: nave has hammer-beam roof. Panelled roof to chancel. Pointed arcades have roll-moulding supported by short-piers with foliate capitals, on plinths. Pointed chancel arch on columns with smaller capitals. Double arch between chancel and south chapel has quatrefoil to head. Similar capitals. 2 sedilia. Arch to north chancel aisle partly blocked by organ. Font, square on plan on 4 piers and stepped base and naturalistic decoration.” |
It may look like a Victorian barn, but look closer and you will see it's hidden gems
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On 14th February 1877, the organist put a candle next to the bellows to keep them warm through a cold night - it led to the devastating fire pictured below, with the loss of most of the interior, including the Morris and Company windows.
The photos are from a private collection
The photos are from a private collection
Here are some more pictures of the (new) church of St Oswald