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St Helen's Church is the
St Helen's Church is the parish church
A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the Church (building), church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in com ...
of Escrick
Escrick is a village and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. It was in the historic East Riding of Yorkshire, but since 1974 has come under North Yorkshire. It is approximately equidistant between Selby and York on what is now the A19 road ...
, a village south of York
York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...
, in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in Northern England.The Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority areas of City of York, York and North Yorkshire (district), North Yorkshire are in Yorkshire and t ...
, in England.
A church was first recorded in Escrick in 1252. Its tower was rebuilt or repaired in 1460, and the church was repaired in 1663. In 1759, the pulpit, reading desk and pews were replaced, and a gallery at the east end was replaced by one at the west end. However, in 1781, the site of the church was granted to Beilby Thompson to improve the area around Escrick Hall, on condition that he built a new church.
The second church was built on a new site, by the York to Selby road. It was a brick structure, in the classical style, and was consecrated in 1783. However, in 1857, it was replaced by the current church, a stone structure in the Perpendicular style, designed by Francis Penrose
Francis Cranmer Penrose Fellow of the Royal Society, FRS (29 October 1817 – 15 February 1903) was an English architect, archaeologist, astronomer and rowing (sport), sportsman rower. He served as Surveyor of the Fabric of St Paul's Cathedral ...
. The new structure cost £26,000 to build. The church survives today, with a vestry
A vestry was a committee for the local secular and ecclesiastical government of a parish in England, Wales and some English colony, English colonies. At their height, the vestries were the only form of local government in many places and spen ...
added in 1896. A fire in 1923 destroyed the furnishings, but the church was quickly restored by John Bilson, and reopened to worship in 1925. In 1966, the church was Grade II* listed
In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, H ...
.
The church has a five-bay nave with a north aisle, a two-bay chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the Choir (architecture), choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may termi ...
in the form of an apse
In architecture, an apse (: apses; from Latin , 'arch, vault'; from Ancient Greek , , 'arch'; sometimes written apsis; : apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical Vault (architecture), vault or semi-dome, also known as an ' ...
, an eight-sided apse at the west end, containing a bapistery and chapel, over a crypt, and a tower to the north-east. There is also a south porch. The church is supported by buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall. Buttresses are fairly common on more ancient (typically Gothic) buildings, as a means of providing support to act ...
es and has battlements. Various gargoyle
In architecture, and specifically Gothic architecture, a gargoyle () is a carved or formed Grotesque (architecture), grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building, thereby preventing it from ...
s decorate the structure. The west apse contains an ogee-headed door to the crypt.
There are an assortment of Geometric windows in the church. Those behind the altar were designed by Bilson. There is an early 14th century monument to a knight, possibly Roger de Lascelles, which is now damaged. Among the wall monuments are one to Beilby Thompson, and one of about 1816 to Jane Lawley, carved by Bertel Thorvaldsen
Albert Bertel Thorvaldsen (; sometimes given as Thorwaldsen; 19 November 1770 – 24 March 1844) was a Danes, Danish-Icelanders, Icelandic Sculpture, sculptor and medallist, medalist of international fame, who spent most of his life (1797–183 ...
.
The church houses a peal of 12 bells:
See also
*Grade II* listed churches in North Yorkshire (district)
There are over 20,000 Grade II* listed buildings in England. This page is a list of the 152 churches and chapels in the unitary authority of North Yorkshire listed at Grade II*.
As there are 534 Grade II* listed buildings in the district, the 3 ...
* Listed buildings in Escrick
References