St Swithin

St Swithin’s is a small rural parish church set in a beautifully secluded churchyard on the edge of the village. The current building is the third version of a church on the site, the first having been built around 1140. This church stood until 1820 when, having fallen into serious disrepair, it was replaced by a new brick-built church, slightly larger in size and accommodating seating for around 100 people and a large west gallery. In 1886 this building was partly dismantled, rebuilt from window level and enlarged again to provide an organ chamber and a porch to the north entrance, but the west gallery was removed.

The organ, for which the new organ chamber was added, was originally built for Temple Newsam House, Leeds and was gifted to the church from DB Kendell, whose father had purchased it in 1825. The gift was made on completion of the restoration and re-building in 1886. The organ is an unusual piece, having a ‘liquorice allsort” keyboard.

The church tower houses two 14th century bells which were restored in the 1980s, and also a set of tubular bells presented to the church in 1888. The clock was installed in the tower in 1898 and, although an electric motor was installed in the 1990s, repeated failures of the clock led to it being mothballed in 2009. Items of particular interest inside the church include part of an incised coffin lid of a medieval priest, located behind the font, and a late 19th century white marble memorial depicting a young girl, commemorating a rector’s young sister.

The church is open and currently has regular services three to four times a month.

The churchyard is still open and is well maintained by volunteers. It contains a Commonwealth War Grave. There is also a large stone thought to have been a meteorite from the Ice Age. It was restored by the Womens’ Institute for European Heritage Year 1975. Close to the southwest corner of the church is the base and part of a shaft of a medieval cross, itself having listed status.