St Mary the Virgin's Church, Great Ouseburn
Encyclopedia
St Mary the Virgin's Church, Great Ouseburn, is located in the village of Great Ouseburn
, North Yorkshire
, England. It is an active Anglican
parish church
in the deanery of Ripon, the archdeaconry of Richmond, and the diocese of Ripon and Leeds
. Its benefice has been united with those of four local parishes. The church has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building.
, the upper part was added in the 13th century, the arcades
date from the 14th century, and the chancel
from the following century. The vestry
and aisle
s were rebuilt in 1820. In 1883 the Lancaster
partnership of Paley and Austin added the south chapel. In 1994 a porch was built. Since then a toilet and kitchenette have been added, and the organ has been moved; moving the organ allowed the chapel to be restored.
stone, with the vestry in sandstone
and brick, and the roofs in stone slate. Its plan consists of a three-bay
nave
, north and south aisles, a chancel with a north vestry and a south chapel, and a west tower. The tower is in three stages, standing on a chamfer
ed plinth
. On the west side of the bottom stage is a lancet window
. There are slit windows on south side in the bottom and middle stages, and a clock face on the west side in the middle stage. The top stage contains round-headed two-light bell openings. The parapet
is embattled
with crocket
ed pinnacle
s. On top of the tower is a pyramidal roof. At the west end of the south aisle is a doorway with a pointed head. Along the walls of the aisles are three two-light windows containing Y-tracery
. On the south side of the chapel are a priest's door and a square-headed window containing three lancets. Its east window contains 19th-century Perpendicular-style tracery. In the north and south sides of the chancel are square-headed two-light windows, and the east window is in Perpendicular style.
dated 1779 and 1780. The font
dates from the 17th century, and its lid from the 19th century. The two-manual
organ was installed in the church by Peter Wood and Son. It had originally been built in 1962 by J. W. Walker and Sons
for the First Church of Christ, Scientist
, Haywards Heath
, and was moved to St Mary's in 2000. This replaced a much smaller, single-manual organ, which was built in 1888 by Forster and Andrews
, and moved to Japan following the installation of the present organ.
Great Ouseburn
Great Ouseburn is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated 4 miles south east of Boroughbridge....
, North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, England. It is an active Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
in the deanery of Ripon, the archdeaconry of Richmond, and the diocese of Ripon and Leeds
Diocese of Ripon and Leeds
The Diocese of Ripon and Leeds is an administrative division of the Church of England, part of the Province of York. It covers an area in western and northern Yorkshire as well as the south Teesdale area administered by County Durham which is traditionally part of Yorkshire...
. Its benefice has been united with those of four local parishes. The church has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II* listed building.
History
The lower part of the tower dates from the Norman eraNorman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
, the upper part was added in the 13th century, the arcades
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
date from the 14th century, and the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
from the following century. The vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
and aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
s were rebuilt in 1820. In 1883 the Lancaster
Lancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
partnership of Paley and Austin added the south chapel. In 1994 a porch was built. Since then a toilet and kitchenette have been added, and the organ has been moved; moving the organ allowed the chapel to be restored.
Exterior
The church is constructed in ashlarAshlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
stone, with the vestry in sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
and brick, and the roofs in stone slate. Its plan consists of a three-bay
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, north and south aisles, a chancel with a north vestry and a south chapel, and a west tower. The tower is in three stages, standing on a chamfer
Chamfer
A chamfer is a beveled edge connecting two surfaces. If the surfaces are at right angles, the chamfer will typically be symmetrical at 45 degrees. A fillet is the rounding off of an interior corner. A rounding of an exterior corner is called a "round" or a "radius"."Chamfer" is a term commonly...
ed plinth
Plinth
In architecture, a plinth is the base or platform upon which a column, pedestal, statue, monument or structure rests. Gottfried Semper's The Four Elements of Architecture posited that the plinth, the hearth, the roof, and the wall make up all of architectural theory. The plinth usually rests...
. On the west side of the bottom stage is a lancet window
Lancet window
A lancet window is a tall narrow window with a pointed arch at its top. It acquired the "lancet" name from its resemblance to a lance. Instances of this architectural motif are most often found in Gothic and ecclesiastical structures, where they are often placed singly or in pairs.The motif first...
. There are slit windows on south side in the bottom and middle stages, and a clock face on the west side in the middle stage. The top stage contains round-headed two-light bell openings. The parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
is embattled
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
with crocket
Crocket
A crocket is a hook-shaped decorative element common in Gothic architecture. It is in the form of a stylised carving of curled leaves, buds or flowers which is used at regular intervals to decorate the sloping edges of spires, finials, pinnacles, and wimpergs....
ed pinnacle
Pinnacle
A pinnacle is an architectural ornament originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire...
s. On top of the tower is a pyramidal roof. At the west end of the south aisle is a doorway with a pointed head. Along the walls of the aisles are three two-light windows containing Y-tracery
Tracery
In architecture, Tracery is the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window. The term probably derives from the 'tracing floors' on which the complex patterns of late Gothic windows were laid out.-Plate tracery:...
. On the south side of the chapel are a priest's door and a square-headed window containing three lancets. Its east window contains 19th-century Perpendicular-style tracery. In the north and south sides of the chancel are square-headed two-light windows, and the east window is in Perpendicular style.
Interior
The tower arch is round-headed. The arcades consist of tall, pointed arches carried on slender round columns. On the north wall of the chancel are two monuments by Fisher of YorkYork
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
dated 1779 and 1780. The font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
dates from the 17th century, and its lid from the 19th century. The two-manual
Manual (music)
A manual is a keyboard designed to be played with the hands on a pipe organ, harpsichord, clavichord, electronic organ, or synthesizer. The term "manual" is used with regard to any hand keyboard on these instruments to distinguish it from the pedalboard, which is a keyboard that the organist plays...
organ was installed in the church by Peter Wood and Son. It had originally been built in 1962 by J. W. Walker and Sons
J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd
J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd is a British firm of organ builders established in 1828 by Joseph William Walker in London. Walker organs were popular additions to churches during the Gothic Revival era of church building and restoration in Victorian Britain, and instruments built by Walker are found in...
for the First Church of Christ, Scientist
Church of Christ, Scientist
The Church of Christ, Scientist was founded in 1879 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, by Mary Baker Eddy. She was the author of the book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. Christian Science teaches that the "allness" of God denies the reality of sin, sickness, death, and the material world...
, Haywards Heath
Haywards Heath
-Climate:Haywards Heath experiences an oceanic climate similar to almost all of the United Kingdom.-Rail:Haywards Heath railway station is a major station on the Brighton Main Line...
, and was moved to St Mary's in 2000. This replaced a much smaller, single-manual organ, which was built in 1888 by Forster and Andrews
Forster and Andrews
Forster and Andrews was formed by James Alderson Forster and Joseph King Andrews , who had been employees of the London organ builder J. C. Bishop.They opened the business that bore their name in Hull in 1843...
, and moved to Japan following the installation of the present organ.