St Stephen'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 Aldwark, a village north-west 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. The building was funded by Lady Frankland-Russell and was designed by

Edward Buckton Lamb Edward Buckton Lamb (1806–1869) was a British architect who exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1824. Lamb was labelled a 'Rogue Gothic Revivalist', and his designs were roundly criticised for breaking with convention, especially by '' The E ...

John Betjeman Sir John Betjeman, (; 28 August 190619 May 1984) was an English poet, writer, and broadcaster. He was Poet Laureate from 1972 until his death. He was a founding member of The Victorian Society and a passionate defender of Victorian architect ...

noted that Lamb had been described as a "rogue architect", but stated that "the plan of the church is unusual yet effective both within and without... the almost detached tower and spire form a composition typical of the architect". The church was constructed between 1846 and 1853. In 1984, 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 is constructed of alternating courses of herringbone brick and cobbles, with sandstone dressings. The roof is tiled, with the diagonals picked out in fishscale tiles. The church consists of a nave, short transepts in apsidal form, and a single-bay chancel. There is a two-stage tower to the north of the nave, supported by angle buttresses, and with a short spire. Inside, there are four stone cross piers, which support a complex wooden roof, based on a king post structure. The west window is in the

Perpendicular style Perpendicular Gothic (also Perpendicular, Rectilinear, or Third Pointed) architecture was the third and final style of English Gothic architecture developed in the Kingdom of England during the Late Middle Ages, typified by large windows, four-ce ...

, and has glass designed by

Charles Eamer Kempe Charles Eamer Kempe (29 June 1837 – 29 April 1907) was a British Victorian era designer and manufacturer of stained glass. His studios produced over 4,000 windows and also designs for altars and altar frontals, furniture and furnishings, lychg ...

in 1885.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aldwark, St Stephen Aldwark, Hambleton Church of England church buildings in North Yorkshire Churches completed in 1853 Grade II listed churches in North Yorkshire Edward Buckton Lamb buildings

See also

References