St Peter's Church, Stainforth
Encyclopedia
St Peter's Church, Stainforth, is in the village of Stainforth
, North Yorkshire
, England. It is an active Anglican
parish church
in the deanery of Bowland, the archdeaconry of Craven, and the diocese of Bradford
. It benefice is united with those of St Oswald, Horton-in-Ribblesdale and St John the Evangelist, Langcliffe. The church has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II listed building.
family, the Dawsons. It was constructed between 1839 and 1842 to a design by the Lancaster
architect Edmund Sharpe
. The church was consecrated by Rev Charles Longley, the Bishop of Ripon
on 29 September 1842. It was "thoroughly improved" in 1873.
stone with ashlar
dressings and slate
roofs. Its plan consists of a four-bay
nave
, a porch at the southeast, a lower single-bay chancel
with a northeast vestry
, and a west tower. The architectural style is "impeccably" Perpendicular. The tower is in three stages that are separated by string courses, and it has buttress
es at the corners. The top string course is embellished with three carved heads. On the west side of the tower is a doorway, above which is a single-light window with a cinquefoil head. On each side of the top stage is a two-light bell opening with slate louvres
and cinquefoil heads. The tower is surmounted by an embattled
parapet
with gargoyle
s. There are clock faces on the west and east sides. Along the wall of the nave, the bays are separated by buttresses, each of which contains a three-light window. The chancel has a four-light east window and an embattled parapet. The vestry has a chimney disguised as a turret
. The stained glass in the east window and some of the other windows is by William Wailes
. Above the east window is the heraldic
shield of the Dawson family. The two-manual
organ was made by Nicholson. The ring
consists of three bells, all cast in 1842 by Thomas Mears II at Whitechapel Bell Foundry
, but these are no longer ringable.
Stainforth, North Yorkshire
Stainforth is a village and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated very near Settle; only about 1 mile north there is a waterfall, , where the river falls over limestone ledges into a deep, broad pool which can be accessed by walking a short way from the...
, 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 Bowland, the archdeaconry of Craven, and the diocese of Bradford
Diocese of Bradford
The Diocese of Bradford is a Church of England diocese within the Province of York. The Diocese covers the area of the City of Bradford, Craven district and the former Sedbergh Rural District now in Cumbria....
. It benefice is united with those of St Oswald, Horton-in-Ribblesdale and St John the Evangelist, Langcliffe. 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
Before this church was built, Stainforth was part of the parish of St Alkelda, Giggleswick. The church was built at the instigation of three sisters from a local gentryGentry
Gentry denotes "well-born and well-bred people" of high social class, especially in the past....
family, the Dawsons. It was constructed between 1839 and 1842 to a design by 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...
architect Edmund Sharpe
Edmund Sharpe
Edmund Sharpe was an English architect and engineer. He started his career as an architect, initially on his own, then in partnership with Edward Paley, designing mainly churches but also some secular buildings...
. The church was consecrated by Rev Charles Longley, the Bishop of Ripon
Bishop of Ripon and Leeds
The Bishop of Ripon and Leeds is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Ripon and Leeds in the Province of York.Though one ancient Bishop of Ripon is known, the modern diocese dates from 1836...
on 29 September 1842. It was "thoroughly improved" in 1873.
Architecture
St Peter's is constructed in squared rubbleRubble
Rubble is broken stone, of irregular size, shape and texture. This word is closely connected in derivation with "rubbish", which was formerly also applied to what we now call "rubble". Rubble naturally found in the soil is known also as brash...
stone with ashlar
Ashlar
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...
dressings and slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
roofs. Its plan consists of a four-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...
, a porch at the southeast, a lower single-bay 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...
with a northeast 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 a west tower. The architectural style is "impeccably" Perpendicular. The tower is in three stages that are separated by string courses, and it has buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es at the corners. The top string course is embellished with three carved heads. On the west side of the tower is a doorway, above which is a single-light window with a cinquefoil head. On each side of the top stage is a two-light bell opening with slate louvres
Louver
A louver or louvre , from the French l'ouvert; "the open one") is a window, blind or shutter with horizontal slats that are angled to admit light and air, but to keep out rain, direct sunshine, and noise...
and cinquefoil heads. The tower is surmounted by an 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...
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...
with gargoyle
Gargoyle
In architecture, a gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque, usually made of granite, with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building thereby preventing rainwater from running down masonry walls and eroding the mortar between...
s. There are clock faces on the west and east sides. Along the wall of the nave, the bays are separated by buttresses, each of which contains a three-light window. The chancel has a four-light east window and an embattled parapet. The vestry has a chimney disguised as a turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
. The stained glass in the east window and some of the other windows is by William Wailes
William Wailes
William Wailes, , was the proprietor of one of England’s largest and most prolific stained glass workshops.- Biographical :Wailes was born and grew up in Newcastle on Tyne, England’s centre of domestic glass and bottle manufacturing. His first business was as a grocer and tea merchant...
. Above the east window is the heraldic
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
shield of the Dawson family. 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 made by Nicholson. The ring
Ring of bells
"Ring of bells" is a term most often applied to a set of bells hung in the English style, typically for change ringing...
consists of three bells, all cast in 1842 by Thomas Mears II at Whitechapel Bell Foundry
Whitechapel Bell Foundry
The Whitechapel Bell Foundry is a bell foundry in Whitechapel in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London. The foundry is listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest manufacturing company in Great Britain...
, but these are no longer ringable.