This Grade 1 Listed parish church dates from the late C12th with additions and repairs made throughout the subsequent centuries. It was the church of Robert Aske and features an ‘ask’ (Old English word for a newt or salamander) on the tower wall. Also on the tower is an engraved shield bearing the inscription in old French text: “Christofer le second filz de Robert Ask chr oblier ne doy, Ao Di 1536.” This is translated as: “Christopher, the second son of Robert Aske, chevalier, ought not to forget the year of our Lord 1536.” Christopher rebuilt the tower that year. As mentioned before, Robert Aske, a well-connected lawyer, rebelled against Henry VIII and in AD1536 marched on London with 30,000 men but was later executed in York in AD1537. Sadly the church was locked so I was unable to see some of the C12th Norman features.
The Grade 1 Listed St Peter and St. Paul’s Church at Howden was originally an Anglo-Saxon foundation. Following the Norman Conquest it was granted by William I to his Battle of Hastings aide, and soon to be Bishop of Durham, William de St.Calais. Circa AD1270s the building of the new church began, gaining ‘Minster’ status as the grounds extended to canons’ quarters and a Bishop’s Palace and by AD1311 the west front was complete. Between AD1320 and AD1340 a new aisled choir was built. The chapterhouse was constructed in two phases during the AD1340s funded by Walter Skirlaw, Bishop of Durham (1388–1406).
The extensive building work was carried out by stonemasons who had previously worked on Notre Dame and Westminster Abbey. Some new techniques were used and later copied at Selby, York, Beverley and Lincoln. Although the church and surrounding Palace Estate survived Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries it was suppressed by Edward VI in AD1550. Howden’s great days came to an end in the 16th century. In AD1536, Howden Minster was at the heart of the Pilgrimage of Grace, the most serious Catholic rebellion against Henry VIII. The rebel leader was Robert Aske, a Howdenshire lawyer, (I have posted a separate post on his church in Aughton) who raised an army of over 30,000 men, but the rebellion failed due to treachery and betrayal. The Reformation removed the canons and most of the revenues from Howden. The shrine of St John of Howden was broken up and pilgrimage to his remains ceased. The prince bishops withdrew to Durham, abandoning their palace to decay and ruin. The town and church of Howden quickly fell into decline. In AD1696 the main roof fell in. During the English Civil war Parliament Soldiers used the church as stables and eventually people took masonry from the site for their own houses. The roof of the chapter house fell down in AD1750. In AD1929 some drunks got into the ruins and set fire to the tower! Finally, in AD1971 the ruined parts of the Minster were taken into guardianship by English Heritage and repairs began (and continue) from AD1984. Half the church is still in use.
The interior has some marvellous features. The Great West Window contains some very fine 19th century glass by the Belgian stained glass worker, J B Capronnier. His masterwork is in Cologne Cathedral. The font is C17th. ‘Mouseman’ Thompson did some woodwork after the fire in AD1929, his signature mouse emblems are in evidence.
All that’s left of the Palace estate is the banqueting hall. The Bishops of Durham stayed here on their way to London and Royalty stayed here on their northern travels.
Moulton Hall, Moulton, nr Richmond, North Yorkshire. The hall was rebuilt on an ancient site around AD1650 for Leonard Smithson. The property has links to Lord Byron. The current tenants of Moulton Hall are John Eccles, 2nd Viscount Eccles and his wife, the Baroness Eccles of Moulton. The National Trust have managed the house since AD1966 and are currently renovating this Grade 1 Listed house. Unfortunately I couldn’t see inside; the staircase is supposed to be outstanding as are the rooms.
Pic 2: Moulton Manor House AD1570. Moulton Manor House stands near Moulton Hall, and is reputed to be connected to it by an underground passage. The Manor House was another home of the Smithson family in the first half of the sixteenth century. The present Grade 1 Listed Manor House was probably built by Robert Smithson, a man-at-arms at the Battle of Agincourt and by his son Robert.
St Mary’s Church, Richmond, North Yorkshire. It is likely that a church was here from around C9th but the first documented evidence of a church on this site is from AD1137 and C12th features can still be found at the west end of the church; a Norman pillar and arcading at the end of the nave. The entire church was rebuilt in the late C15th, however, the building as seen today owes much to restoration by the Victorian architect Sir George Gilbert Scott from AD1858-1859. The octagonal font is part of the AD1399 rebuilding, a distinguished work of Teesdale marble, with shields around the bowl and arcaded stem. The well-carved pyramidal cover is C17. The C19 pews have blind arcaded frontal and shaped ends with quatrefoils. The Gothic wooden pulpit is by Thompson of Kilburn: yes there are mouse carvings. .
A look at the pretty village of Kirk Hammerton, near Harrogate, North Yorkshire. The village has a population of around 550. It’s associated with the Hamerton Family who owned the estate as part of Hellifield Peel Castle (Skipton) in the C15th. Sir Stephen Hamerton was executed for treason in AD1536 for taking part in the ‘Pilgrimage of Grace’, a revolt by several Northern Earls and Dukes against Henry VIII’s actions regarding the Catholic Church, dissolution of the monasteries, high taxes and his several marriages. Being of knightly rank, Sir Stephen was hanged and beheaded, but not drawn and quartered, and his lands seized by the crown. The Hamertons eventually had their estate returned in AD1561. The village has fine examples of Georgian and Victoria properties including the school and village hall. .. I posted pics of the parish church of St John in August.
Paul A. McKendrick UK 