By Michael Grace
The first church 1205c - 1768
The first Church was built of stone in 1205c and was probably built in the ‘Early English’ style of architecture. In 1202 the Priory of St. Andrew was founded in York by Hugh Murdoc, who endowed it with rents and land in the village of Bishopthorpe. It was more than likely that Hugh Murdoc or the Monks of the Priory of St. Andrew’s were responsible for the building of this first Church here at Bishopthorpe for the use of the people of the village and hence its name. The name village was known by several names, including Thorpe St. Andrew, and then later Andrewthorpe; the name of Bishopthorpe was not used till later.
Walter de Gray, Chancellor to King John and Bishop of Worcester, attended King John at Runnymede in 1215, and as an reward for his loyal service was appointed Archbishop of York in the same year. It was Archbishop de Gray who bought some of the land in this village owned by the Priory and Monks of St. Andrew’s and with this land also obtained the gift of the living of the Parish of Bishopthorpe.
Archbishop de Gray built his residence here on part of the land he had bought, and it has ever since remained the residence of the Archbishops of York, except for a short period between 1644 and 1660.
Archbishop de Gray, probably the most popular of all the earlier Archbishops of York, died in 1255 after 40 years as Archbishop. His tomb can be found in York Minster.
Walter Giffard, one of Archbishop Walter de Gray’s many relatives, became Archbishop of York in 1266 and held the post till his death in 1279. Archbishop Giffard held the living of the Parish of Bishopthorpe but granted it to the Priory of St. Clement’s in York. They appointed the first Rector of Bishopthorpe in 1281. His name was William de Cayingham.
The Priory of St. Clement’s, York, also held other lands and livings as well as that of Bishopthorpe, but lost all their titles, livings and lands in 1542 at the ‘Dissolution of the Monasteries’. The living of the Parish of Bishopthorpe passed to the ‘Crown’: King Henry VIII and his successors.
All we really know of this first Church is it was built in around 1205 and pulled down in 1768. It was cruciform in plan with a small central tower at the crossing. A mention in old archives show that it had two bells.
We also know from burial records that there were parishioners buried in the aisles, and that in 1700 John Sharpe (Archbishop of York 1691-1714) erected a fine gallery, and the whole choir and chancel was repaired and beautified in 1707. We also know that the font which is recorded in the archives and stood in the centre of the Church is now in the Church at Askham Bryan, three miles away from Bishopthorpe.
The early English Piscina from this Church was found by Canon John Robert Keble (Vicar of Bishopthorpe 1891-1903), in the old Churchyard in 1895 and is now built into the sanctuary of the present Church. We do not know of any organ or musical instrument in this first Church.
Walter de Gray, Chancellor to King John and Bishop of Worcester, attended King John at Runnymede in 1215, and as an reward for his loyal service was appointed Archbishop of York in the same year. It was Archbishop de Gray who bought some of the land in this village owned by the Priory and Monks of St. Andrew’s and with this land also obtained the gift of the living of the Parish of Bishopthorpe.
Archbishop de Gray built his residence here on part of the land he had bought, and it has ever since remained the residence of the Archbishops of York, except for a short period between 1644 and 1660.
Archbishop de Gray, probably the most popular of all the earlier Archbishops of York, died in 1255 after 40 years as Archbishop. His tomb can be found in York Minster.
Walter Giffard, one of Archbishop Walter de Gray’s many relatives, became Archbishop of York in 1266 and held the post till his death in 1279. Archbishop Giffard held the living of the Parish of Bishopthorpe but granted it to the Priory of St. Clement’s in York. They appointed the first Rector of Bishopthorpe in 1281. His name was William de Cayingham.
The Priory of St. Clement’s, York, also held other lands and livings as well as that of Bishopthorpe, but lost all their titles, livings and lands in 1542 at the ‘Dissolution of the Monasteries’. The living of the Parish of Bishopthorpe passed to the ‘Crown’: King Henry VIII and his successors.
All we really know of this first Church is it was built in around 1205 and pulled down in 1768. It was cruciform in plan with a small central tower at the crossing. A mention in old archives show that it had two bells.
We also know from burial records that there were parishioners buried in the aisles, and that in 1700 John Sharpe (Archbishop of York 1691-1714) erected a fine gallery, and the whole choir and chancel was repaired and beautified in 1707. We also know that the font which is recorded in the archives and stood in the centre of the Church is now in the Church at Askham Bryan, three miles away from Bishopthorpe.
The early English Piscina from this Church was found by Canon John Robert Keble (Vicar of Bishopthorpe 1891-1903), in the old Churchyard in 1895 and is now built into the sanctuary of the present Church. We do not know of any organ or musical instrument in this first Church.
The Second Church 1768-1899
In 1768 Robert Hay Drummond (Archbishop of York 1761-1776) pulled down the ancient Church of the 13th century which had stood by the river, and decided to build a new Church. Because the original church had been so badly damaged, only its foundations were kept, and so the new Church was on exactly the same site as the old. The Piscina from the original church was later found and installed in Bishopthorpe’s third church, but it was not included in Archbishop Drummond’s church. The Archbishop employed his favourite architect, Thomas Atkinson, to oversee the work.
There are two historical accounts of the building of this Church. In 1896, Canon Keble, then vicar of Bishopthorpe, wrote about the Church in the parish magazine.
“Archbishop Drummond unfortunately did not bestow the care upon his new Church which he had done upon restoring his palace and the building of the new fine palace gatehouse in Bishopthorpe. The new Church which Archbishop Drummond had built was entirely of brick, the walls being only 14" thick with ordinary sash windows, no doubt an eyesore to the people of the village”
Canon Keble also later goes on to say that
‘Edward Venables Vernon-Harcourt (Archbishop of York 1807-1847) decided to spend £2000 of his own money on the restoration of this second Church which Archbishop Drummond had built’
Canon Keble also suggests that Archbishop Vernon-Harcourt replaced the west front of the church as well. However some historians disagree, and argue that the new west front was built at the same time as the rest of the church, and was one of three architectural additions made by Archbishop Drummond, the other two being in the palace. This is the only wall of the Church which still stands today.
So then, are these romantic sources true? We can only take the historians word for these details, but it is hard to imagine that Archbishop Drummond, with this love of architectural interest and who showed this passion with his fine work at the palace would finish off his Church as Canon Keble describes.
It is recorded that Canon Keble was wrong about the windows – Archbishop Drummond bought the fine traced stone windows from the chapel at Cawood Castle to place in his new church, which was designed so the windows would fit. These windows were some of the finest in their period.
However, we do know that in 1842 Archbishop Vernon-Harcourt did indeed contribute £2000 in the restoration of this second Church by constructing a new roof and floor, providing new seating, and adding the new south vestry and the porches to the transepts outside with his arms carved upon them.
It is mentioned that he also improved the mullions in the windows and rebuilt the riverbank with a stone defence wall to help stop the continual flooding. He may have ‘restored’ the west front of the church as well, but the evidence for this is questionable.
Archbishop Drummond’s Church was crucifix in design. The Choir sat either side of the altar, and there were large pews in the chancel. The Archbishop with his family and servants occupied the whole of the north transept
Later a fine chair was made for Archbishop Vernon-Harcourt. This was made by a self-taught wood carver, who was a friend of the Archbishop, and was made from wood left over after the fire of York Minster in 1829. The chair is beautifully carved and stood in the north side of the chancel. It is now in the present church as one of the only pieces of furniture bought over from the old church. It is stored in the vestry, but is bought out for special occasions.
In the old Church opposite Archbishop Vernon-Harcourt’s Chair and pews for his family and servants stood the reading desk, pulpit and clergy pews, with places for young men and strangers behind them. The rest of the congregation occupied the west end of the nave - the font standing in the centre of the Church.
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At the time of Archbishop Vernon-Harcourt’s
restoration of this Church in 1842, a new south vestry was added which later
became the organ loft for the new organ in 1870. At the same time the porches
to both of the transepts were added.
In 1851 Archbishop Thomas Musgrave (Archbishop of York 1847-1860) replaced Archbishop Vernon-Harcourt’s chair with a new throne which has his arms carved on the back and a beautiful carved canopy. This is also in the present Church, and is one of the only Cathedra to be found in a parish church rather than a Cathedral. Archbishop Drummond’s Church received new gas lighting in 1868 and in 1872 the oak pews, given by |
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Archbishop Vernon-Harcourt in 1842
were replaced with open pitchpine pews. At the same time the choir was also
beautified. A reopening service was given by Archbishop William Thompson
(Archbishop of York 1862-1890), when the sermon was given by Alfred Barry, then
Curate
Until 1857 we do not know of any musical instrument in the Church, we know that Archbishop Vernon-Harcourt refused an organ saying - ‘people should use their own organs’.
In 1857 the first organ was installed at a cost of £53. It was in the gallery at the back of the Church, which had been erected by Archbishop Vernon-Harcourt in 1842 as part of his restoration of the Church. However, this organ was replaced three years later in 1860 by a slightly larger one.
A third even grander organ was given in 1870, placed in what had been the vestry on the south side of the chancel. In 1885 this was replaced by yet a larger organ, given by Archbishop Thomson and Rev. Richard Blakeney (Vicar of Bishopthorpe 1884-1891). This organ took up the remaining little space left and so a new vestry was added to the north side. This organ was the third of the three pieces to be bought to the new church. Rev. Blakeney left Bishopthorpe in 1891 to become Vicar of Melton Mowbray and later Canon of Peterborough. Whilst he was Vicar of Bishopthorpe he had declined more than one important position, including colonial bishoprics.
The windows of this Church were filled with stained glass by Wailes of Newcastle, who at that time was one of the leading artists for stained glass throughout England.
In the east window were represented the four Evangelists, and in the upper lights, St. Paul, and St. John the Baptist, with two other Saints and two Angels. The south transept window had our Lord, with St. Peter on the right and St. Andrew on the left, and above them the Baptism and the Ascension. The north transept window was in memory of Archbishop Vernon-Harcourt, and contained his arms and initials; the smaller windows were filled with patterned glass. All this stained glass disappeared after the Church was demolished in 1899.
The pews given in 1872, with the pulpit, altar rails and other smaller furnishings of 1768 were given to Everingham Church, near Pocklington, and the font went to the newly built Church of Colton, near Bolton Percy.
The little old Churchyard which had been used for those first two Churches must have been used over and over again. Many extensions were added. Most of these extended parts eventually slid into the river, and because of lack of space the new extensions became nearer to the river.
This Churchyard served both the first Church and second Church up until 1892.
In 1847 the Steward Family, who were very wealthy people in the village asked for a family vault. Permission was given providing that every time the vault was opened for a burial a fee had to be paid for the poor of the parish. Irish and Yew trees were planted in 1871 to make the Churchyard look more attractive.
In 1883 Archbishop Thomson brought some extended land north-west of the Church for the private use of burial for himself and his family. The Archbishop died on Christmas Day in 1890 and a fine large red granite cross marks his grave, with various other family graves surround it . A granite curb runs round the whole area of the family plot.
In 1776 Archbishop Drummond was buried in the Church that he had built. He was buried under the altar, following his instruction not to mark his grave with any stone or inscription. However, when this Church was demolished in 1899, it was decided to mark the space of the old altar with a large limestone cross, with the inscription ‘On this spot here stood for centuries the Parish Church of St. Andrew, Bishopthorpe. Rebuilt on another site A.D. 1899' This can still be seen today, and because it marks were the old altar once stood, it also marks the grave of Archbishop Drummond.
In 1892 after the great flood, which washed many bodies away from the graves, caused great concern. The Churchyard was no longer safe for burials, it was inconvenient because of the problems it was causing during the floods and there was no more space left for any further burials.
It was decided after this terrible flood that new land was needed for burials. A patch of land on the corner of Church Lane and Bishopthorpe Road was given in that same year to form a new cemetery. The word ‘cemetery’ was used because there was no Church attached to the burial ground. The first burial that took place was that of Sarah Alice Forth in 1892. Until the new Church was built on the same land in 1899, the funeral services were still carried out in the old Church and the coffins where brought across from the old Church to the new cemetery. For this purpose a bier was given which was still in use until very recently.
From this time the old churchyard was only used for the purpose of burials in reserved family graves. The last one was in the 1920’s, although there is a Thomson grave dated 1939 in the old Church ruins. However, Rev. John McMullen, a retired Priest from Bishopthorpe, had his ashes interred at the West front of the Old Church only recently.
Since the closing of the Churchyard all the gravestones were moved to the side of the Churchyard. This caused the loss of where a lot of people were buried, as there were no complete records of burial positions and no burial plans were kept, only records of the burial services. As part of restoration of the old church ruins in the late 1990s those stones which could be placed were restored.
It is also interesting to note that a majority of funeral services and burials in the last years of the Old Church were taken during Sunday Morning Communion Service, so that everyone could be present without taking time off work, difficult even in those days for funeral services. Today it is usually only Baptisms which take place in Communion Services.
Until 1857 we do not know of any musical instrument in the Church, we know that Archbishop Vernon-Harcourt refused an organ saying - ‘people should use their own organs’.
In 1857 the first organ was installed at a cost of £53. It was in the gallery at the back of the Church, which had been erected by Archbishop Vernon-Harcourt in 1842 as part of his restoration of the Church. However, this organ was replaced three years later in 1860 by a slightly larger one.
A third even grander organ was given in 1870, placed in what had been the vestry on the south side of the chancel. In 1885 this was replaced by yet a larger organ, given by Archbishop Thomson and Rev. Richard Blakeney (Vicar of Bishopthorpe 1884-1891). This organ took up the remaining little space left and so a new vestry was added to the north side. This organ was the third of the three pieces to be bought to the new church. Rev. Blakeney left Bishopthorpe in 1891 to become Vicar of Melton Mowbray and later Canon of Peterborough. Whilst he was Vicar of Bishopthorpe he had declined more than one important position, including colonial bishoprics.
The windows of this Church were filled with stained glass by Wailes of Newcastle, who at that time was one of the leading artists for stained glass throughout England.
In the east window were represented the four Evangelists, and in the upper lights, St. Paul, and St. John the Baptist, with two other Saints and two Angels. The south transept window had our Lord, with St. Peter on the right and St. Andrew on the left, and above them the Baptism and the Ascension. The north transept window was in memory of Archbishop Vernon-Harcourt, and contained his arms and initials; the smaller windows were filled with patterned glass. All this stained glass disappeared after the Church was demolished in 1899.
The pews given in 1872, with the pulpit, altar rails and other smaller furnishings of 1768 were given to Everingham Church, near Pocklington, and the font went to the newly built Church of Colton, near Bolton Percy.
The little old Churchyard which had been used for those first two Churches must have been used over and over again. Many extensions were added. Most of these extended parts eventually slid into the river, and because of lack of space the new extensions became nearer to the river.
This Churchyard served both the first Church and second Church up until 1892.
In 1847 the Steward Family, who were very wealthy people in the village asked for a family vault. Permission was given providing that every time the vault was opened for a burial a fee had to be paid for the poor of the parish. Irish and Yew trees were planted in 1871 to make the Churchyard look more attractive.
In 1883 Archbishop Thomson brought some extended land north-west of the Church for the private use of burial for himself and his family. The Archbishop died on Christmas Day in 1890 and a fine large red granite cross marks his grave, with various other family graves surround it . A granite curb runs round the whole area of the family plot.
In 1776 Archbishop Drummond was buried in the Church that he had built. He was buried under the altar, following his instruction not to mark his grave with any stone or inscription. However, when this Church was demolished in 1899, it was decided to mark the space of the old altar with a large limestone cross, with the inscription ‘On this spot here stood for centuries the Parish Church of St. Andrew, Bishopthorpe. Rebuilt on another site A.D. 1899' This can still be seen today, and because it marks were the old altar once stood, it also marks the grave of Archbishop Drummond.
In 1892 after the great flood, which washed many bodies away from the graves, caused great concern. The Churchyard was no longer safe for burials, it was inconvenient because of the problems it was causing during the floods and there was no more space left for any further burials.
It was decided after this terrible flood that new land was needed for burials. A patch of land on the corner of Church Lane and Bishopthorpe Road was given in that same year to form a new cemetery. The word ‘cemetery’ was used because there was no Church attached to the burial ground. The first burial that took place was that of Sarah Alice Forth in 1892. Until the new Church was built on the same land in 1899, the funeral services were still carried out in the old Church and the coffins where brought across from the old Church to the new cemetery. For this purpose a bier was given which was still in use until very recently.
From this time the old churchyard was only used for the purpose of burials in reserved family graves. The last one was in the 1920’s, although there is a Thomson grave dated 1939 in the old Church ruins. However, Rev. John McMullen, a retired Priest from Bishopthorpe, had his ashes interred at the West front of the Old Church only recently.
Since the closing of the Churchyard all the gravestones were moved to the side of the Churchyard. This caused the loss of where a lot of people were buried, as there were no complete records of burial positions and no burial plans were kept, only records of the burial services. As part of restoration of the old church ruins in the late 1990s those stones which could be placed were restored.
It is also interesting to note that a majority of funeral services and burials in the last years of the Old Church were taken during Sunday Morning Communion Service, so that everyone could be present without taking time off work, difficult even in those days for funeral services. Today it is usually only Baptisms which take place in Communion Services.
