Kilnwick Percy: St Helen
Overview
Grid reference: SE 826 498
The church is late 12th-century in origin, rebuilt by J B and W Atkinson in 1865, whereby the ground plan would appear to have been maintained. The church is filled with an eclectic collection of post-Reformation furniture, collected by Robert Denison. The church is located down the slope to the south of the hall, half hidden in a copse in a field grazed by sheep.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
5-bay nave with north porch and west belcote, 2-bay chancel with shallow north porch and south vestry.
Dimensions:
Nave 12m (42ft) by 6.5m (21ft).
Footprint of Church buildings: 162 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
The church is late 12th-century in origin, rebuilt by J B and W Atkinson in 1865, whereby the ground plan would appear to have been maintained. The north doorway is in situ, the south doorway has been built into the porch in front of it; other parts of the original building, for example the corbel table, have also been reused. The church is filled with an eclectic collection of post-Reformation furniture, collected by Robert Denison (from whom Admiral Dunscombe, the builder of the present house bought the estate in 1841) during his travels in London and Europe in the early 19th century.
The church, churchyard and the surrounding area to the south and east comprise an important archaeological site dating from the Early-Late Medieval period, including the deserted medieval village of Kilnwick Percy, abandoned in the 18th century.
Exterior Description
This is a compact and attractive church, restored in an ornate Norman style, whereby the reused original elements indicate that the church may originally have been almost equally ornate. The north porch doorway in particular is of a degree of invention which makes it of considerable importance for the student of the development of Yorkshire Romanesque, if this term can be used. Before one enters and is impressed by the furnishings, it is important to appreciate the church building itself, and its carefully crafted setting as a set-piece within the landscaped grounds of the hall.
The church is nicely proportioned, the gabled double belcote corbelled out from the west wall, not too big or tall to overpower the building but serving to give it a little vertical emphasis and announce it to the visitor on their approach. It has a wheel cross finial, similar now probably missing from the porch and chancel gables. The west front underneath is pierced by a central round window with chevron and a hoodmould with stops above two round-headed windows with nook-shafts, scallop capitals, and chevron ornament around the head. The church stands on a chamfered plinth. There are short central and clasping buttresses of two weatherings. The gables have stone copings throughout.
The nave walls are pierced in each bay except the north-west by round-headed windows as described above, with buttresses of two weatherings to each bay. The nave corbel table incorporates original corbels carved into beast and human heads (filled out by copies), reminiscent of the more famous example at nearby Garton-on-the-Wolds St Michael.
The chancel has two round-headed windows with nook-shafts and roll-moulding to the heads in the south wall, and one such window and a similar round-headed priest’s door in a shallow projecting porch with a corbelled-in roof in the north. The east window is a stepped 3-light with round arch heads in the same style, and a small round window in the gable head with chevron round the frame.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
1920
The east window, the Ascension with adoring crowd beneath. Given in 1920 in memory of Harry Whitworth.
Stained Glass
20th Century
Four north nave windows with St John the Evangelist, St John the Baptist and Martha and Mary of Bethany, given in memory of Charles Wilber Duncombe died 1911.
Stained Glass
1864
The west windows have Saint Peter and Saint Paul by Hodgson of York.
Building Materials
Sandstone
Limestone
Dressings
Interior
Interior Description
The interior is whitewashed, blistering and flaking in many places, especially at the east end, the chancel plaster being grooved to resemble ashlar. The nave roof is arch-braced with collars, the members enriched with chevron carving and taken down to carved stone corbels with nailhead. The mostly restored chancel arch is of two orders, the inner order supported on raised colonettes on corbels. The chancel has a waggon roof. The floors are of quarry tiles, with encaustic tiles in geometric patterns in the chancel.
The nave is tightly packed with bench pews, mostly plain but the eastern pair with carved figures to the ends, and carved front panels with caryatids, sunbursts and the date 1633. A cut together reading desk, a chair, the pulpit, the choir stalls, the communion rails, the altar table and the dado are composed of or embellished with carvings of the 17th (mostly) and 18th centuries, much of it Flemish, and of good to excellent quality and art historical significance. Various classical motifs and biblical scenes are depicted. An interesting added idiosynchracy is the fact that where there was not enough to go around, carvings were copied in cast iron, notably two of the figures supporting the communion rails and the dado frieze.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
17th Century
Oak table, plain top with attached friezes. Full length Caryatids in draped garments applied to the flat rear legs. The front legs are of barley-twist terminating in rectangular section.
Pulpit
1864
Oak, square, heavy and extremely ornate, with carved cornice and attached carved panels friezes and canted corners bearing caryatids.
Lectern
1864
Brass reading stand.
Font (object)
1864
Plain octagonal, stone.
Organ (object)
Elaborately decorated single-manual American organ by Cornish & Co of Washington, New Jersey.
Rail
Wrought iron and oak rail supported by carved wooden figures, two of which are replaced by a cast iron copy of the others.
Churchyard
Grid reference: SE 826 498
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
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