Diameter: 18" Bell 1 of 1
Founded by Charles & George Mears 1852
Dove Bell ID: 56086 Tower ID: 21280 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Kexby: St Paul
Overview
Grid reference: SE 700 510
This fine Victorian stone church stands within a small square churchyard amongst copses of trees at the eastern edge of the dispersed hamlet of Kexby, 4 miles east of York and just inside the North Riding. The church was built on a new site in 1852 by F C Penrose for the second Lord Wenlock, whose father had acquired considerable land in the area. : The church is designed in the Early Decorated style, with some good individual touches and attention to detail, and high quality materials throughout; clearly Lord Wenlock was generous with the funding.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
3-bay nave with north-west tower and west porch, north-west vestry, single-bay chancel.
Dimensions:
Nave 13m (45ft) by 5m (16ft).
Footprint of Church buildings: 156 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
The church was built on a new site in 1852 by F C Penrose for the second Lord Wenlock, whose father had acquired considerable land in the area. Penrose was a pupil of Edward Blore and a distinguished architect in his own right. He was President of the RIBA (1894-6) and long time Surveyor of the Fabric at St Paul’s Cathedral, where he designed the Choir School, the choir seats and desks, the marble pulpit and stairs, the Wellington tomb and the memorial to Lord Napier.
The site is in an area of Viking settlement near Jorvik/York (Kexby is a Norse place name) and on prime land near the river, and may be of archaeological potential.
Exterior Description
The church is designed in the Early Decorated style, with some good individual touches and attention to detail, and high quality materials throughout; clearly Lord Wenlock was generous with the funding.The tower faces the road and the entrance to the churchyard, and indeed can be seen from the road; as such it is something of a landscape feature.
The tower is of three stages divided by string courses and topped with a spire. The base stands on a plinth (as does the whole church) and is square in plan tapering to an octagonal shaft at the second stage. Lancets and slit windows to the first and second stage. The belfry stage has a cusped bell opening to each face. The parapet has a quatrefoil band and gargoyles, the thin tall spire is surmounted by a lead weathervane.
The west nave entrance is a pointed doorway with a plank door within a chamfered surround, under a gabled porch with naturalistically carved brackets. Above this is a 2-light pointed window with a trefoil in the head, under a hoodmould. The south side has three similar 2-light pointed windows, the north has two lancets with trefoil heads again in the eastern bays, the west bay is taken up by the vestry, with two trefoiled lancets. The narrower chancel has a cusped lancet in the south wall. The east window is a 3-light with tracery under a hoodmould.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
1852
In the south wall of the nave is a grisaille window based on the design of the Five Sisters window in York Minster. This and the tracery-lights at the top of the east window are contemporary with the church building and were made by Stefan Kellner of Munich.
Stained Glass
1954
By Harry Harvey and dates from 1954, Christ the King flanked by saints. Donated in memory of Dan and Elizabeth Fridlington.
Stained Glass
Late 19th / Early 20th Century
South chancel window, St Paul armed with a sword, late 19th or early 20th-century.
Building Materials
Ashlar
Facing
Sandstone
Interior
Interior Description
The interior is brightly decorated with cream-coloured plastered walls. There is an unusual vestry/organ chamber in the north-west bay with a double-chamfered 2-bay arcade with a cylindrical pier between the nave and vestry, and the glazed timber screen across the first western bay, beyond which ranks of bench pews march to the chancel arch. The headstops on the interior hoodmould of the west door are portraits of Queen Victoria (painted gold) and Prince Albert.
There is a complex false hammer-beam roof to the nave, and beyond the double-chamfered chancel arch with keeled responds a pointed barrel-vaulted panelled ceiling to the chancel, elaborately painted and gilded. The floors appear to be of stone flags under the ubiquitous red carpet, with chequerboard tiles exposed in the sanctuary.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
1852
Oak table
Pulpit
1852
Oak hexagonal pulpit with blind tracery panels, moulded cornice. Stone base and steps.
Lectern
1852
Plain oak
Font (object)
1852
Octagonal stone font with trefoil panels, conical oak cover.
Organ (object)
Small one-manual chamber organ, now electric, installed in 1977 by Rushworth & Dreaper but originally from the Convent of the Little Sisters in Anfield, Liverpool, and possibly built by the Willis firm in the late 19th or early 20th century. It appears to incorporate pipes and other material from the original organ in the church, which might itself have pre-dated the church. The organ is therefore of interesting complexity and history.
Rail
1852
Tripartite hinged wooden rail with wrought iron supports.
Bells
Churchyard
Grid reference: SE 700 510
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
Quinquennial Inspections
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