St Robert's Church, Pannal
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St Robert's Church,
Pannal Pannal is a village in the county of North Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is situated to the immediate south of Harrogate. Since 2016 it has formed part of the new civil parish of Pannal and Burn Br ...
,
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 ...
, England, also known as St Robert of Knaresborough Parish Church, is a
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 ...
building. A 13th-century wooden church dedicated to
St Michael Michael, also called Saint Michael the Archangel, Archangel Michael and Saint Michael the Taxiarch is an archangel and the warrior of God in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The earliest surviving mentions of his name are in third- and second- ...
was rebuilt in
sandstone Sandstone is a Clastic rock#Sedimentary clastic rocks, clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of grain size, sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate mineral, silicate grains, Cementation (geology), cemented together by another mineral. Sand ...
in the 14th century by monks of the
Trinitarian Order The Trinitarians, formally known as the Order of the Most Holy Trinity and of the Captives (; abbreviated OSsT), is a mendicant order of the Catholic Church for men founded in Cerfroid, outside Paris, in the late 12th century. From the very ou ...
from Knaresborough Priory. It was perhaps then that it was rededicated to
Robert of Knaresborough Robert of Knaresborough (St Robert, born Robert Flower, 24 September 1218) was a British hermit who lived in a cave by the River Nidd, Knaresborough, West Riding of Yorkshire, North Yorkshire. His feast day is celebrated on 24 September, altho ...
. Its nave was rebuilt in the 18th century, restored in the 19th and remodelled in the 20th. Extensions were added in the 20th century. It is a
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 ...
, and the vicar also serves the
Church of St Michael and All Angels, Beckwithshaw The Church of St Michael and All Angels, Beckwithshaw, North Yorkshire, England, also known as Beckwithshaw Church, is an Church of England, Anglican church built and furnished between 1886 and 1887 by William Swinden Barber in the Gothic Reviva ...
.


Location

The church stands on Main Street in the historic core of the village of Pannal, at about 85 metres above sea level. Pannal is a "straggling
linear In mathematics, the term ''linear'' is used in two distinct senses for two different properties: * linearity of a '' function'' (or '' mapping''); * linearity of a '' polynomial''. An example of a linear function is the function defined by f(x) ...
" village among farms, woods and former
quarries A quarry is a type of open-pit mine in which dimension stone, rock, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, gravel, or slate is excavated from the ground. The operation of quarries is regulated in some jurisdictions to manage their safet ...
. The
crenellated A battlement, in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet (a defensive low wall between chest-height and head-height), in which gaps or indentations, which are often rectangular, occur at intervals ...
church tower is a significant landmark locally.Harrogate Borough Council: Pannal conservation area character appraisal
Retrieved 5 January 2014
The church stands opposite Pannal Hall, which from 1724 was the seat of the Bentley family: landowners whose
memorials A memorial is an object or place which serves as a focus for the memory or the commemoration of something, usually an influential, deceased person or a historical, Tragedy (event), tragic event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objec ...
line the walls of the
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 ...
. The Bentleys had the right to church tithes and the duty to maintain the chancel.


History

The first record of the village is "Panhale" in the
Pipe Rolls The Pipe rolls, sometimes called the Great rollsBrown ''Governance'' pp. 54–56 or the Great Rolls of the Pipe, are a collection of financial records maintained by the English Exchequer, or Treasury, and its successors, as well as the Exche ...
of 1170. A wooden church occupied the site of the present church probably in 1250, and definitely in 1271 when the archdeacon of Rochester Witton (or William?) de Santo Martino resigned the ministry of Pannal, and when the village was also called Rosehurst. The church was dedicated to
St Michael Michael, also called Saint Michael the Archangel, Archangel Michael and Saint Michael the Taxiarch is an archangel and the warrior of God in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The earliest surviving mentions of his name are in third- and second- ...
and was called St Michael the Archangel (or All Angels) until at least 1304.Ancestry.com: St Roberts Church
Retrieved 5 January 2014
Its vicar became
Archdeacon of Rochester The archdeacon of Rochester is a senior office-holder in the Diocese of Rochester, a division of the Church of England Province of Canterbury. Like other archdeacons, they are administrators in the diocese at large (having oversight of parishes in ...
in 1271.strobertschurch.co.uk. St Roberts Church website: history
Retrieved 5 January 2014
Edmund Earl of Cornwall gave the church to St Robert's Priory in 1278. The present church was built before May 1318, when it was "said to have been damaged by a Scottish raiding party" who visited Pannal before or after attacking
Knaresborough Castle Knaresborough Castle is a ruined fortress overlooking the River Nidd in the town of Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, England. History The castle was first built by a Normans, Norman baron in on a cliff above the River Nidd. There is documenta ...
, and left the village after stealing cattle and sacking and burning the church. The chancel was rebuilt in 1319 by monks from Knaresborough Priory. They belonged to the
Trinitarian Order The Trinitarians, formally known as the Order of the Most Holy Trinity and of the Captives (; abbreviated OSsT), is a mendicant order of the Catholic Church for men founded in Cerfroid, outside Paris, in the late 12th century. From the very ou ...
of St Robert of Knaresborough, and it may have been this event which inspired the rededication of the church. The priory received the church and its income from
Edmund, 2nd Earl of Cornwall Edmund of Almain (26 December 1249 – 1300) was the second Earl of Cornwall of the fourth creation from 1272. He joined the Ninth Crusade in 1271, but never made it to the Holy Land. He was the regent of the Kingdom of England from 1286 to 1289 ...
in 1319, and it was consecrated in 1348. The priory was dissolved in 1539, and Pannal Church became
Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
. In 1549 the Chantry of St James, Pannal, was dissolved. There are parish register transcripts for Pannal, dating from the 16th century onwards, at the
Borthwick Institute for Archives The Borthwick Institute for Archives is the specialist archive service of the University of York, York, England. It is one of the biggest archive repositories outside London. The Borthwick was founded in 1953 as The Borthwick Institute of Histori ...
. Until the 19th century, this parish church was the village's civic and judicial centre. The parish chest held civil documents, and the vicar and warden held the keys. The church dispensed welfare monies and set up
workhouse In Britain and Ireland, a workhouse (, lit. "poor-house") was a total institution where those unable to support themselves financially were offered accommodation and employment. In Scotland, they were usually known as Scottish poorhouse, poorh ...
s and
poorhouse A poorhouse or workhouse is a government-run (usually by a county or municipality) facility to support and provide housing for the dependent or needy. Workhouses In England, Wales and Ireland (but not in Scotland), "workhouse" has been the more ...
s. The parish supported the village constable, and until the 1960s the old village
stocks Stocks are feet and hand restraining devices that were used as a form of corporal punishment and public humiliation. The use of stocks is seen as early as Ancient Greece, where they are described as being in use in Solon's law code. The law de ...
could be seen by the
churchyard In Christian countries, a churchyard is a patch of land adjoining or surrounding a church (building), church, which is usually owned by the relevant church or local parish itself. In the Scots language and in both Scottish English and Ulster S ...
gate. In 1943 the 4th Harrogate (St Robert's)
scout Scout may refer to: Youth movement *Scout (Scouting), a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement ** Scouts (The Scout Association), section for 10-14 year olds in the United Kingdom ** Scouts BSA, sect ...
troop was located at the church.


St Robert

Pannal Church is the only one in the United Kingdom dedicated to
Robert of Knaresborough Robert of Knaresborough (St Robert, born Robert Flower, 24 September 1218) was a British hermit who lived in a cave by the River Nidd, Knaresborough, West Riding of Yorkshire, North Yorkshire. His feast day is celebrated on 24 September, altho ...
(1170–1218). He was born in York, the son of Touk Flower. He was ordained
subdeacon Subdeacon is a minor orders, minor order of ministry for men or women in various branches of Christianity. The subdeacon has a specific liturgical role and is placed below the deacon and above the acolyte in the order of precedence. Subdeacons in ...
and served at
Newminster Abbey Newminster Abbey was a Cistercian abbey in Northumberland in the north of England. The site is protected by Grade II listed building and Scheduled Ancient Monument status. Ranulph de Merlay, lord of Morpeth, and his wife, Juliana, daughter ...
near Morpeth in
Northumberland Northumberland ( ) is a ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North East England, on the Anglo-Scottish border, border with Scotland. It is bordered by the North Sea to the east, Tyne and Wear and County Durham to the south, Cumb ...
for four and a half months. He returned to
Knaresborough Knaresborough ( ) is a market and spa town and civil parish on the River Nidd in North Yorkshire, England. It is east of Harrogate and was in the Borough of Harrogate until April 2023. History The Knaresborough Hoard, the largest hoard of ...
to become a
hermit A hermit, also known as an eremite (adjectival form: hermitic or eremitic) or solitary, is a person who lives in seclusion. Eremitism plays a role in a variety of religions. Description In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Chr ...
. His patron Juliana gave him the chapel of
St Hilda Hilda of Whitby (or Hild; c. 614 – 680) was a saint of the early Church in Britain. She was the founder and first abbess of the monastery at Whitby which was chosen as the venue for the Synod of Whitby in 664. An important figure in the Chri ...
at Rudfarlington. He became known as a
holy man ''Holy Man'' is a 1998 American satirical comedy-drama film directed by Stephen Herek, written by Tom Schulman, and starring Eddie Murphy, Jeff Goldblum, Kelly Preston, Robert Loggia and Jon Cryer. The film was a commercial failure and re ...
and lived in various places, including Spofforth near Pannal. He cared for the poor, and received support from King John, Sir William de Stuteville the son of
Robert III de Stuteville Robert III de Stuteville (died 1186) was an English baron and justiciar. Life He was son of Robert II de Stuteville (from Estouteville in Normandy), one of the northern barons who commanded the English at the battle of the Standard in August 1 ...
, and his brother who became the Mayor of York.Victoria County History: Friars of Knaresborough
Retrieved 5 January 2014


Structure

The church was listed as Grade II*, number 1149449, on 18 July 1949 on the grounds that the
tower A tower is a tall Nonbuilding structure, structure, taller than it is wide, often by a significant factor. Towers are distinguished from guyed mast, masts by their lack of guy-wires and are therefore, along with tall buildings, self-supporting ...
and
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 ...
constitute a
medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...
element of the dressed and coursed
sandstone Sandstone is a Clastic rock#Sedimentary clastic rocks, clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of grain size, sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate mineral, silicate grains, Cementation (geology), cemented together by another mineral. Sand ...
structure. It has graded-
slate Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous, metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade, regional metamorphism. It is the finest-grained foliated metamorphic ro ...
roofs. The chancel is lower and narrower than the
nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
, and was built in the 14th century, the east window tracery dates from 1350. Parts of the chancel may be remnants of the earlier 13th-century stone church. The tower was added at the west end in the 15th or 16th century. During the ministry of William Raper and after becoming derelict, the nave was rebuilt in 1772 with Georgian elements in the churchwarden style, including "rounded Georgian windows with amber glass, a plaster ceiling with a decorated
cornice In architecture, a cornice (from the Italian ''cornice'' meaning "ledge") is generally any horizontal decorative Moulding (decorative), moulding that crowns a building or furniture element—for example, the cornice over a door or window, ar ...
,
box pew A box pew is a type of church pew that is encased in panelling and was prevalent in England and other Protestant countries from the 16th to early 19th centuries. History in England Before the rise of Protestantism, seating was not customary in c ...
s and a three-decker pulpit (all now gone). It was restored during the ministry of Mark Rowntree in 1882 to 1884 while the church was closed. He replaced the box pews with
pitch pine ''Pinus rigida'', the pitch pine, is a small-to-medium-sized pine. It is native to eastern North America, primarily from central Maine south to Georgia and as far west as Kentucky. It is found in environments which other species would find unsuit ...
ones and removed the three-decker pulpit. He lowered the nave floor by and raised the chancel floor and ceiling to create the Bentley's burial
crypt A crypt (from Greek κρύπτη (kryptē) ''wikt:crypta#Latin, crypta'' "Burial vault (tomb), vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, Sarcophagus, sarcophagi, or Relic, religiou ...
below. It was probably at this time that the present arch-braced truss ceiling was installed. Before Rowntree's work, the nave floor was higher than those of the tower and chancel. The same section was remodelled again in 1929 when the ceiling and some oak roof beams were replaced, and electric light installed. In 1930 perpendicular windows replaced the Georgian ones. In 1934 the church acquired an
organ loft A loft is a building's upper storey or elevated area in a room directly under the roof (American usage), or just an attic: a storage space under the roof usually accessed by a ladder (primarily British usage). A loft apartment refers to large ...
in the tower arch and the ground floor of the tower became 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 ...
.Church leaflet: ''The Parish Church of St Robert of Knaresborough Pannal: A mini guide'' On the south side a porch and choir vestry were added in 1952, the glazed and polygonal
chapter house A chapter house or chapterhouse is a building or room that is part of a cathedral, monastery or collegiate church in which meetings are held. When attached to a cathedral, the cathedral chapter meets there. In monasteries, the whole communi ...
was built in 1977 and the parish meeting rooms and kitchen in 1988 or 1999. Image:St Roberts 013.jpg, C15–C16 tower Image:StRoberts 023.jpg, C14 chancel Image:St Roberts 002.jpg, South elevation in early C20 Image:St Roberts 024.jpg, South elevation in 2014, showing extensions Image:St Roberts Interior 038.jpg, Arch-braced trusses in chancel


Church exterior

The tower is in
perpendicular In geometry, two geometric objects are perpendicular if they intersect at right angles, i.e. at an angle of 90 degrees or π/2 radians. The condition of perpendicularity may be represented graphically using the '' perpendicular symbol'', ...
style, in three exterior visual stages separated by stringing. On different levels it has three interior floors consisting of the vestry and its loft at the bottom, then a clock chamber whose floor is roughly level with the nave ceiling, and a bell chamber on the top floor. The bottom and middle floor levels are indistinguishable from the outside, because the diagonal
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 run up the bottom two stages and half of the top stage, and there is exterior stringing halfway up the bottom floor but not between the bottom and middle floors. However, stringing on the exterior identifies the floor level of the bell stage. The interior chambers of the tower appear tiny because of the space taken by the spiral staircase inside its south wall. The church's ribbed west door, in a "segmental-pointed" arch with "broad
chamfer A chamfer ( ) is a transitional edge between two faces of an object. Sometimes defined as a form of bevel, it is often created at a 45° angle between two adjoining right-angled faces. Chamfers are frequently used in machining, carpentry, fur ...
" is in the lower exterior stage. The three-
light Light, visible light, or visible radiation is electromagnetic radiation that can be visual perception, perceived by the human eye. Visible light spans the visible spectrum and is usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of 400– ...
window above is included in the exterior second stage with the spiral staircase windows and the blue clock faces. The three-light window is hidden in the interior, being inaccessible in the vestry loft. The third stage has double, uncusped, round-headed bell-openings on all four sides, and an
embattled A battlement, in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet (a defensive low wall between chest-height and head-height), in which gaps or indentations, which are often rectangular, occur at intervals t ...
parapet A parapet is a barrier that is an upward extension of a wall at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony, walkway or other structure. The word comes ultimately from the Italian ''parapetto'' (''parare'' 'to cover/defend' and ''petto'' 'chest/brea ...
. The tower is floodlit at night. The nave was rebuilt in the
Georgian era The Georgian era was a period in British history from 1714 to , named after the House of Hanover, Hanoverian kings George I of Great Britain, George I, George II of Great Britain, George II, George III and George IV. The definition of the Geor ...
, and the visual evidence of this is the "rusticated quoins and the rusticated surround of a former blind north doorway." The two-light windows in perpendicular style were added in 1929, the south-east one having been shortened when the chapter house was added. The chancel is in
decorated style English Gothic is an architectural style that flourished from the late 12th until the mid-17th century. The style was most prominently used in the construction of cathedrals and churches. Gothic architecture's defining features are pointed a ...
. It has four windows, its east window having three lights and reticulated
tracery Tracery is an architectural device by which windows (or screens, panels, and vaults) are divided into sections of various proportions by stone ''bars'' or ''ribs'' of moulding. Most commonly, it refers to the stonework elements that support th ...
, plus an
ogee An ogee ( ) is an object, element, or curve—often seen in architecture and building trades—that has a serpentine- or extended S-shape (Sigmoid curve, sigmoid). Ogees consist of a "double curve", the combination of two semicircle, semicircula ...
-headed priest's doorway on the south side. One of the chancel's
stained glass Stained glass refers to coloured glass as a material or art and architectural works created from it. Although it is traditionally made in flat panels and used as windows, the creations of modern stained glass artists also include three-dimensio ...
windows is from Knaresborough Priory. It is a small window in the point of an arch, showing a
coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...
with two oaks above a red and blue Trinitarian cross. The oaks may commemorate the fact that "in August 1255 the king gave three oaks to the friars of the Holy Trinity for the fabric of the church of St Robert,". Pannal historian Anne Smith suggests that the object between the oaks is the gateway to the Priory. On the south-west and north-west buttresses of the tower are ancient and almost-illegible carvings about across, and about from the ground. They may be consecration crosses, following the tradition in which Anglican bishops have anointed each corner of the church with
chrism Chrism, also called ''myrrh'', ''myron'', ''holy anointing oil'', and consecrated oil, is a consecrated oil used in the Catholic Church, Catholic, Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox, Assyrian C ...
as part of the
consecration Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects ( ...
ritual, then commemorative crosses were placed at the same points. At first sight the carvings appear to be Tudor roses or the ''
fleurs-de-lis The ''fleur-de-lis'', also spelled ''fleur-de-lys'' (plural ''fleurs-de-lis'' or ''fleurs-de-lys''), is a common heraldic charge in the ( stylized) shape of a lily (in French, and mean and respectively). Most notably, the ''fleur-de-lis ...
'' used by English monarchs from the 14th to 18th century, but the raised "petals" may be the gaps between the curved arms of the deeply engraved cross.


Church interior


Sanctuary and chancel

In the walls of the sanctuary are two
corbel In architecture, a corbel is a structural piece of stone, wood or metal keyed into and projecting from a wall to carry a wikt:superincumbent, bearing weight, a type of bracket (architecture), bracket. A corbel is a solid piece of material in t ...
s which have been re-set, and they may indicate the use of a
Lenten veil A Lenten veil (or Lenten cloth), known as a in German language, German or in Ecclesiastical Latin, Latin, is a depiction of the Passion of Jesus, Passion of Christ on a large veil which covers up a church chancel during Lent. Catholic Church, ...
. On the sanctuary floor are early 20th century memorial
mosaic A mosaic () is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/Mortar (masonry), mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and ...
s, with a
crypt A crypt (from Greek κρύπτη (kryptē) ''wikt:crypta#Latin, crypta'' "Burial vault (tomb), vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, Sarcophagus, sarcophagi, or Relic, religiou ...
below. The chancel contains a 14th century
piscina A piscina is a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, or else in the vestry or sacristy, used for washing the communion vessels. The sacrarium is the drain itself. Lutherans and Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a pisci ...
with an
ogee An ogee ( ) is an object, element, or curve—often seen in architecture and building trades—that has a serpentine- or extended S-shape (Sigmoid curve, sigmoid). Ogees consist of a "double curve", the combination of two semicircle, semicircula ...
opening, but the piscina and the top of the
sedilia In church architecture, sedilia (plural of Latin ''sedīle'', "seat") are seats, typically made of stone, located on the liturgical south side of the altar—often within the chancel—intended for use by the officiating priest, deacon, an ...
are low on the wall to the right of the altar, indicating a raising of the stone floor which has 17th and 19th century
ledgers A ledger is a book or collection of accounts in which accounting transactions are recorded. Each account has: * an opening or brought-forward balance; *a list of transactions, each recorded as either a debit or credit in separate columns (usua ...
. It has scribed render walls. The roof was restored in 1884, and is arch-braced with 4.5 bays.


Nave

The " tie-beam roof on corbelled brackets, with cusped arcading over the beams" of the nave has been rebuilt and remodelled several times, but may perhaps be mainly attributed to the 19th century works. The walls are plastered and there are floorboards under the pews. Between the nave and the tower's ground-floor vestry is an
organ Organ and organs may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a group of tissues organized to serve a common function * Organ system, a collection of organs that function together to carry out specific functions within the body. Musical instruments ...
, built against the tower arch.
English Heritage English Heritage (officially the English Heritage Trust) is a charity that manages over 400 historic monuments, buildings and places. These include prehistoric sites, a battlefield, medieval castles, Roman forts, historic industrial sites, Lis ...
describes the fixtures in the nave and chancel as follows:
The
font In metal typesetting, a font is a particular size, weight and style of a ''typeface'', defined as the set of fonts that share an overall design. For instance, the typeface Bauer Bodoni (shown in the figure) includes fonts " Roman" (or "regul ...
, probably of 1772, is of polished
marble Marble is a metamorphic rock consisting of carbonate minerals (most commonly calcite (CaCO3) or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) that have recrystallized under the influence of heat and pressure. It has a crystalline texture, and is ty ...
and of unusual oval shape. Its wooden canopy has a
finial A finial () or hip-knob is an element marking the top or end of some object, often formed to be a decorative feature. In architecture, it is a small decorative device, employed to emphasize the Apex (geometry), apex of a dome, spire, tower, roo ...
surmounted by a dove. The C19
pulpit A pulpit is a raised stand for preachers in a Christian church. The origin of the word is the Latin ''pulpitum'' (platform or staging). The traditional pulpit is raised well above the surrounding floor for audibility and visibility, accesse ...
is polygonal Perpendicular with a figure of the
Good Shepherd The Good Shepherd (, ''poimḗn ho kalós'') is an image used in the pericope of , in which Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ is depicted as the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep. Similar imagery is used in Psalm 23 and Ezeki ...
. Pews are mainly C19 and their ends have notional poppy heads.
Choir stalls A choir, also sometimes called quire, is the area of a church or cathedral that provides seating for the clergy and church choir. It is in the western part of the chancel, between the nave and the sanctuary, which houses the altar and Church tab ...
have ends with scrolled foliage to the tops, and Gothic blind-panelled frontals. The C19
altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religion, religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, Church (building), churches, and other places of worship. They are use ...
table incorporates C17 panels. The east window shows the Nativity (1883). There are C19 and C20 memorial tablets, and a memorial tablet to the Symeson/Simpson family set up after the death of William Simpson in 1886, by Day of Knaresborough.''English Heritage listing details 1149449''
The tower and chancel arches are on polygonal shafts and built in 1929. The font is made of
limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...
from
Derbyshire Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It borders Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, and South Yorkshire to the north, Nottinghamshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south-east, Staffordshire to the south a ...
, and the stone contains small fossils. The church accounts of 1686 refer to "putting a loop ring" on the font for two
pennies A penny is a coin (: pennies) or a unit of currency (: pence) in various countries. Borrowed from the Carolingian denarius (hence its former abbreviation d.), it is usually the smallest denomination within a currency system. At present, it is t ...
; the loop fitted on the rim of this rare oval font is still in situ, dating it to before that date. The church leaflet mentions legends of its origin in
Fountains Abbey Fountains Abbey is one of the largest and best preserved ruined Cistercians, Cistercian monasteries in England. It is located approximately south-west of Ripon in North Yorkshire, near the village of Aldfield. Founded in 1132, the abbey operat ...
or in a
mansion A mansion is a large dwelling house. The word itself derives through Old French from the Latin word ''mansio'' "dwelling", an abstract noun derived from the verb ''manere'' "to dwell". The English word ''manse'' originally defined a property l ...
where the font was once a
wine cooler A wine cooler is an alcoholic drink, alcoholic beverage made from wine and fruit juice, often in combination with a carbonated beverage and sugar. History Wine coolers were first marketed in California in 1976, with the introduction of Californ ...
. Contrary to the above listing description, it is the wooden cover and not the font which was made in 1772 and restored in 1975. The brass eagle
lectern A lectern is a standing reading desk with a slanted top, on which documents or books are placed as support for reading aloud, as in a scripture reading, lecture, or sermon. A lectern is usually attached to a stand or affixed to some other form of ...
was presented to the church in 1875. The pulpit, presented to the church in 1955, is the work of Norval Paxton; this is possibly architect Norval Paxton of
Tadcaster Tadcaster is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in North Yorkshire, England, north-east of Leeds and south-west of York. Its historical importance from Roman times onward was largely as the lowest road crossing-point o ...
who designed the church hall (dedicated in 1947 and now demolished) at Foundry Mill Street in Seacroft. The east window in the chancel was presented by Eliza Bentley in 1883. Image:St Roberts Interior 035.jpg, Oval font Image:St Roberts Interior 027.jpg, Pulpit by
Norval Paxton Image:St Roberts Interior 029.jpg, Choir stall carving Image:St Roberts Interior 024.jpg, Altar table Image:St Roberts Interior 030.jpg, East window


Tower

There is no public access to the interior of the tower. It contains three floors, a very narrow stone spiral staircase on the south side, and a roof area with a trapdoor. The staircase has steep risers and is naturally lit when the sun is in the southern quarter by three very small glazed windows, however at other times all or part of the staircase is pitch dark. The ground floor contains the vestry with its own loft above, incorporating the west window which is inaccessible to visitors. The middle floor is the clock chamber, containing a turret clock mechanism serving the three blue clock faces of the tower, and chiming on the hour. It probably dates from the 19th century, and has been wound and maintained for generations by the local Shutt family. In recent years the cranks and clock weights were removed to Pannal Hall (where they were lost) and the clock and chime mechanism is now driven by two electric motors. The clock employs a clapper mechanism on the largest bell to chime the hour. The top floor of the tower is the bell chamber. Two of the three hung and functioning bells are dated 1669 and 1703, both re-cast by Samuel Smith 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 ...
. This might imply that the smallest bell could be contemporary with the 15th to 16th century tower. File:St Roberts Interior 018.jpg, Spiral stairs in tower File:St Roberts Interior 009.jpg, Bell chamber File:St Roberts Interior 053.jpg, Clock mechanism File:St Roberts Interior 016.jpg, View north from bell chamber


Chapter house

Here is displayed a pair of
handcuffs Handcuffs are Physical restraint, restraint devices designed to secure an individual's wrists in proximity to each other. They comprise two parts, linked together by a Link chain, chain, a hinge, or rigid bar. Each cuff has a rotating arm whi ...
and a truncheon once used by 18th and 19th century
constables A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. ''Constable'' is commonly the rank of an officer within a police service. Other peo ...
of the parish, who were employed by the churchwarden.


Churchyard and environs

Three stone cottages and a
forge A forge is a type of hearth used for heating metals, or the workplace (smithy) where such a hearth is located. The forge is used by the smith to heat a piece of metal to a temperature at which it becomes easier to shape by forging, or to the ...
used to stand in front of the church; these were demolished in 1970 and the stone was re-used to build the church's present car-park wall. The gateposts leading from the car-park to the churchyard were once reputedly the posts for the original village stocks, which have been replaced with a replica. The churchyard was enlarged by half an acre on the south side with land given by Eliza Bentley in 1868. Near the south entrance there is an old
sundial A sundial is a horology, horological device that tells the time of day (referred to as civil time in modern usage) when direct sunlight shines by the position of the Sun, apparent position of the Sun in the sky. In the narrowest sense of the ...
-base, which once said, "PB 1675, Redime Tempus", referring to St Paul in ''Ephesians'' V.16: "redeeming the time, because the days are evil". The foot-scrapers by the south entrance utilise the bases of
column A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member ...
s from the original nave of 1319.Church leaflet: ''A walk around the churchyard and parish church of St Robert of Knaresborough'' Joseph Thackeray of Harrogate's sulphur well was buried here in 1791, and Betty Lupton, "Queen of Wells" and manager of the
spa A spa is a location where mineral-rich spring water (sometimes seawater) is used to give medicinal baths. Spa health treatments are known as balneotherapy. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters and hot springs goes back to pre ...
at
Harrogate Harrogate ( ) is a spa town and civil parish in the North Yorkshire District, district and North Yorkshire, county of North Yorkshire, England. Historic counties of England, Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, the town is a tourist de ...
, in 1843.Church leaflet: ''Welcome to the Parish Church of St Robert of Knaresboro''


Clergy


Historical clergy

This list is taken from a plaque in the nave of the church. The archdeacon of Rochester resigned the rectory of Pannal in 1271, and thus begins the list of clergy. The first in 1271 was William de Sancto Martino, listed as Monsigneur Martyn of St Clements Priory. There followed on 5 January 1311 Thomas of Skelthorpe, a brother of Knaresborough Priory. Then came brother John Brown in 1348, the first paid vicar of Pannal, who died of the
Black Death The Black Death was a bubonic plague pandemic that occurred in Europe from 1346 to 1353. It was one of the list of epidemics, most fatal pandemics in human history; as many as people perished, perhaps 50% of Europe's 14th century population. ...
in 1349,Genuki: information from 1820s
Retrieved 5 January 2014
then brother William of Kent in 1349 and brother William of Pudsey in 1364. In 1369 it was brother Richard of Wakefield; in 1370 concurrently brothers William of Berkshire and William Brott. In the 15th century it was brother John Strensall 1421, brother Will Windus 1451, brother Peter Patrington 1459, brother Lawrence Screwton or Scruton 1474, brother Christopher Craven 1475 and brother Will Yorke 1493. The 16th century begins with brother Henry Bell in 1511, then brother John Godbehere in 1515, brother Percival Dibbs in 1524 and Prior Will Lambert in 1535. St Roberts Priory was dissolved in 1539, and in 1549 the Chantry of St James, Pannal, was dissolved. In 1677 and 1683 the ministers were William Cheldrey and William Parsons, beginning the Protestant era of the church. These were followed by a number of curates: Thomas Green 1694, Christopher Jackson, 1696 and John Wright in 1699 (d.1707). It is not known whether there was then another gap with no vicar. The next curate was Lister Simondson in 1728. The same Reverend Lister Simondson was "instituted vicar on the presentation of the king" George II in 1745. Succeeding vicars were William Loup 1750, Robert Midgeley 1756, William Raper 1758, John Umpleby 1789, Ralph Bates Hunter 1816, and Thomas Simpson 1835. In 1836 Pannal left York
diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, prov ...
, and joined the renewed Ripon diocese. The following clergy were William Vawdrey 1862, G.O. Brownrigg 1875, L.F. Harrison 1876, and Mark Rowntree (1838–1923) in 1883. Rowntree wrote ''Pannal, Past and Present: or, the past and present of an ancient Yorkshire Parish'' (1921). In the 20th century it was Charles Wright 1920, Charles E. Dixon 1928, G.W.L. Martin 1948 and J.R. Shearman 1957. ;Vicars of Pannal and Beckwithshaw churches: Rev. John T. Scott took office in Pannal in 1978. From 1980 onwards, Pannal and Beckwithshaw churches operated as a joint benefice, sharing one vicar. After Scott came Rev. Mark De la Poer Beresford-Peirse (born 1945) 1990; he was descended from an aristocratic family. The most recent was Rev. Nigel C. Sinclair who served from 2002 to 2013. In the 2008 Anglican debate over
Ordination of women The ordination of women to Minister of religion, ministerial or priestly office is an increasingly common practice among some contemporary major religious groups. It remains a controversial issue in certain religious groups in which ordination ...
and
homosexuality Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or Human sexual activity, sexual behavior between people of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexu ...
, he did not want to take sides.


Current clergy

The patrons of the church are: the Bishop of Leeds Nicholas Baines, Peache Trustees; jointly. As of 2018 the vicar is the Reverend John Smith, previously curate of Holy Trinity Church,
Idle Idle generally refers to idleness, a lack of motion or energy. Idle or ''idling'', may also refer to: Technology * Idle (engine), engine running without load ** Idle speed * Idle (CPU), CPU non-utilisation or low-priority mode ** Synchronou ...
, in the former Diocese of Bradford - now Leeds. He was licensed to the benefice on Monday, 20 January 2014. The vicar also serves the Church of St Michael of all Angels at
Beckwithshaw Beckwithshaw is a village and civil parish in the county of North Yorkshire, England, about south-west of Harrogate. History Beckwithshaw takes its name from the now smaller settlement of Beckwith, North Yorkshire, Beckwith, to the east. Th ...
. As of 2018 the curate was The Revd Abbie Palmer.The Church of England: Pannal: other information
Retrieved 5 January 2014
She was ordained
deacon A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian denominations, such as the Cathol ...
at
Bradford Cathedral Bradford Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of St Peter, is an Anglican cathedral in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, one of three co-equal cathedrals in the Diocese of Leeds alongside Ripon and Wakefield. Its site has been used for Christ ...
in July 2017, and ordained
priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...
at Ripon Cathedral on 23 June 2018. The
benefice A benefice () or living is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The Roman Empire used the Latin term as a benefit to an individual from the Empire for services rendered. Its use was adopted by ...
is
Pannal Pannal is a village in the county of North Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is situated to the immediate south of Harrogate. Since 2016 it has formed part of the new civil parish of Pannal and Burn Br ...
with
Beckwithshaw Beckwithshaw is a village and civil parish in the county of North Yorkshire, England, about south-west of Harrogate. History Beckwithshaw takes its name from the now smaller settlement of Beckwith, North Yorkshire, Beckwith, to the east. Th ...
(30/153BH).


Access and facilities

Viewing of the church is by appointment, except during the summer months when the church is kept open for visitors throughout the day; the tower is inaccessible to the public. There is a toilet but no café. Coffee and drinks are available at the Co-op store next to Pannal station. The church has a Junior Church (Sunday school), a
youth group Youth Group is an Australian rock band based in Newtown, New South Wales. Built around the vocals of singer Toby Martin and production of Wayne Connolly, the sound of Youth Group is reminiscent of indie rock artists such as Teenage Fanclub, ...
and a
choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...
. It has an organ and presents concerts. There is
wheelchair A wheelchair is a mobilized form of chair using two or more wheels, a footrest, and an armrest usually cushioned. It is used when walking is difficult or impossible to do due to illnesses, injury, disabilities, or age-related health conditio ...
access, and a hearing induction loop. There are
large-print Large-print (also large-type or large-font) refers to the formatting of a book or other text document in which the font size is considerably larger than usual to accommodate people who have low vision. Frequently the Recording medium, medium is al ...
hymn books, toilets and baby-changing facilities, plus a
car park A parking lot or car park (British English), also known as a car lot, is a cleared area intended for parking vehicles. The term usually refers to an area dedicated only for parking, with a durable or semi-durable surface. In most jurisdic ...
.Church of England: Pannal: St Robert of Knaresborough, Harrogate, features and facilities
Retrieved 5 January 2014


Events


Regular events

The church hall hosts local events, including the annual beer festival in the chapter house. Until 2011 the
mobile library A bookmobile, or mobile library, is a vehicle designed for use as a library. They have been known by many names throughout history, including traveling library, library wagon, book wagon, book truck, library-on-wheels, and book auto service. Boo ...
stopped regularly outside the church. St Roberts Autumn Fair, the
Mothers' Union The Mothers' Union is an international Christian charity that seeks to support families worldwide. In addition to mothers, its membership includes parents, men, widows, singles and grandparents. Its main aim is to support monogamous marriage and f ...
, Pannal Women's Fellowship, Pannal Wives' Group and the Pannal Friendly Club meet at the chapter house, where the Pram Service is also held. Pannal Village Society has sometimes used the chapter house for public discussions regarding local development. Coffee mornings are regularly held at the church. Pannal Textile Group meets regularly at the chapter house, and sometimes holds exhibitions.


Local happenings

On 24 October 2005, vandals broke glass on the church noticeboard, but it was quickly repaired.Vandalism at St Roberts, 24 October 2005
Retrieved 5 January 2014
In 2012 the church hosted an exhibition featuring local history. In 2013 St Roberts Church won the bronze Community Grounds award: one of the Harrogate in Bloom awards.Bronze community grounds award 2013
Retrieved 5 January 2014
In March 2013 there was a
Red Nose Day Comic Relief is a British charity, founded in 1986 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Sir Lenny Henry in response to the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia. The concept of Comic Relief was to get British comedians to make the ...
tea in the chapter house, and local people played pranks, wearing their children's school uniform.Pannal historian Anne Smith: Red nose day tea at St Roberts
Retrieved 5 January 2014


References


Bibliography

* * * *


External links


Youtube video: Turret clock mechanism at St Roberts, Pannal
Clock mechanism is in shadow, but pendulum, ticking and chiming are there. (Commons licence)
riponleeds.anglican.org Diocesan document (1)
Retrieved 5 January 2014
riponleeds.anglican.org Diocesan document (2)
Retrieved 5 January 2014
riponleeds.anglican.org Diocesan document (3)
Retrieved 5 January 2014 {{DEFAULTSORT:Pannal, Saint Robert Church of England church buildings in North Yorkshire Grade II* listed churches in North Yorkshire Medieval British architecture 14th-century church buildings in England