I visited two churches on Sunday, both are included in the Saint Aelred’s Pilgrims Trail. My wife and step mother wanted to follow the trail from St John’s to All Saint’s at Hawnby, so while they headed off I spent an enjoyable half an hour taking these before driving across to Hawnby.
I try to capture atmosphere and emotions. The sun was still quite high at 4pm but there was still some lovely light and shadows at play resulting in a peaceful and reflective mood.
This description of the church is taken from the Parish of Upper Ryedale website:
This church was originally consecrated by the Archbishop of York, William Maclagan, on the 12th October 1896; some two and a half years after the foundation stone had been laid by the patron of Helmsley parish, the Earl of Feversham. It was the Earl who had in fact been the real moving spirit behind getting it built.
It was designed by the well known architect Temple Moor.
The story goes that when the builders met each morning they used to say, “We’ll toss a coin. An if it stays up in t’air, we’ll wark. Bud if it cum dahn, we’ll gan ti t’Sun Inn for a beer”.
Yet somehow the job was done. And in 1898 the new church was given its own new parish: Bilsdale Midcable. “Midcable” is a contraction of “middle chapel”, the church being in the middle of the dale.
Some images maybe look better in black and white, what a beautiful ladder:
And some exterior images to finish:
Next stop All Saints’ Church, Hawnby.