The first church in Bilbrough was probably Norman. A picture of the first
church shows a small
church with a tower at the West End and entry to the church by a south
door. The windows are Gothic. The Chantry Chapel is now all that
remains of that ancient church. The old church seated 76 and
catered for a village of under 200 people. In 1873 the old church was pulled down
and rebuilt by the architect G Fowler Jones. A font, perhaps
Norman, was taken out of the old church when it was rebuilt and is now
in the garden of the Old Rectory.
The new church, seating 156 people, was
built in the Norman style. It cost £2,264 – not much when it is considered that the average
parsonage at the time cost £1,500 to build. Thomas Fairfax provided the
money and also built a Public School at a cost of £154. There was a
private school in the parish in the 18th century. An
entry in the Book of Accounts for 1st December 1782, shows ‘Work
done at ye Schoolhouse and materials 6/9’ and on 14th
January 1782 details ‘School windows mending 1/2d’. On 11th
November 1810, there is a payment ‘To Mr Blanchard for Advertisement for a Schoolmaster £1
1.0d.’)
Looking round the Church
West End
The font dates from 1873
The small chamber organ was used by Dr Jackson in
York Minster during the repairs to the Minster, is perhaps 150 years
old.
The pews are of deal with pitch pin ends (1873)
The coloured kneelers were made a few years ago by
parishioners.
The roof timbers are worth a glance.
The pulpit is of oak (1873)
The glass in the chancel window is from the old
church – probably Victorian – the rest of the glass (unfortunately not
clear) was put in in 1873.
The South Chapel
Built in the late Perpendicular
style (15th century), the
responds, column and the two arches which separate the Chapel from the
nave have typical West Riding detail. The exterior of the Chapel is
mostly of late medieval date, but the upper part of the gables are by G
Fowler Jones.
“In the Chapel there is the big 15th
century tomb chest of John Norton, Founder of the Chapel, with shields
and quatrefoils on the northside, some co-eval panelling on the east
side, but with the remainder of the east side and the whole of the south
and west sides built up in plain ashlar. The ledger slab contains the
indentation of a number of brasses. (According to H Speight in Lower
Wharfedale the stone corbels on either side of the east window of the
Chapel were for lamps which were to be kept lit; mass was to be said in
Chapel for the repose of his soul and for this he left a benefaction of
about £5 a year for the mass priest.)
The other large tomb is that of Thomas, Third Lord
Fairfax of Cameron – ‘Black Tom’. He was born 17th January
1612 at Denton Hall near Otley. He was Knighted by Charles I in York,
January 1641and became Commander in Chief of the Parliamentary Army
which defeated Charles I at Naseby in June 1645. Fairfax was a
moderate. He opposed the execution of Charles I and eventually the politics
became too much for him. In 1650 he retired to his estates of which
Bilbrough was one. He briefly re-emerged into public life in 1659 and 1660
to play a significant part in the restoration of Charles II.
We owe the saving of the great wealth of medieval stained glass
and church fittings in York Minster to him. He married Anne, daughter of Lord Vere of Tilbury, who is buried with him in his tomb. He died at Nun
Appleton Hall 12th November, 1671. The tomb was erected by
Fairfax’s daughter Mary, Duchess of Buckingham. Her tutor was the poet
Andrew Marvell and Bilbrough is featured in some of his poems. Markham says that Ingrish
Hill was a favourite resort of the retired general’ (see Andrew
Marvell’s poem on Bilbrough Hill.) The black marble ledger which forms
the top of the tomb was fine lettering and in incised Coat of Arms. The
east and south sides of the tomb chest are rough ashlar. The north side
of the tomb chest has three pilasters, deeply carved with trophies,
ribbons and garlands. These separate two panels containing very richly
carved shields, crests and matelling. The west end of the tomb chest
has two pilasters richly carved with trophies, ribbons and garlands.
The centre panel has superbly carved shield, crest, mantelling and
supporters.
In 1984 the Parochial
Church Council launched an appeal for the restoration of the chapel and
tomb. The eminent historian Dame C.V. Wedgwood wrote a commendation for the
appeal brochure. The Dean and Chapter of York Minster instructed their
stonemasons to restore the tomb. This was an expression of their gratitude
for the orders that Fairfax gave when the City of York capitulated after the
battle of Marston Moor and which prevented the destruction of the stained
glass in the Minster and other churches in York. York Civic Trust presented
an illuminated wall plaque for the chapel which tells the story of Fairfax.
A leather bound book on an oak stand contains the names of those who
contributed to the appeal and who came not only from the United Kingdom but
from much further afield.
The Chancel
This was re-ordered under the direction of Mr G Pace
F.R.I.B.A. and dedicated by the Archbishop of York in January 1971. The
medieval altar stone was taken from the chancel floor (under the old
altar) and incorporated into the present altar table. The reredos comes
from St Sampson’s redundant York Church. The floor was paved with old
York stone. The cross designed by Mr Pace was made by Mr H Hagyard of
Healaugh, of iron, beaten when cold, and was gilded by Bellerby’s of
York. The old Victorian tiles round the chancel walls were removed.
Communion Plate
The chalice and cover were made by Cusson of York
1618.
The silver paten and flagon were made by Langlands,
Newcastle, 1756 and inscribed ‘The gift of the parishioners 1763’.
(Treaty of Paris at the end of seven years’ War.)
Registers
The Registers date from 1695 and in addition there are two volumes
of Accounts. The first volume is entitled ‘The Book of Accounts for the
Town and Parish of Bilbrough’ begun in December 1718, a note records
that the last town’s book was dated 1590, and burnt in a fire at the
house of the Parish Clerk, Arthur March. These volumes contain the
accounts of churchwardens, the overseers of the poor, the surveyors of
the Highways, and the parish constable.
The poor were a problem from
Elizabethan times onward and the registers show how poor people were
hurried from the parish as the parish where they came from was
responsible for looking after them. Bilbrough has a ‘Poor House’ and
there was a Workhouse in Tadcaster: Entries show:
February 3rd 1779 To Poor
Houses thatching 2/-
October 28th 1779 for
Glazing Poor Houses 10d
July 11th 1781 “Our proportion to Tadcaster’s Workhouse £1 6s.”
“Richard Rawden of Bilbrough by his Deed dated 23rd
day of December, 1758, did give 6d on Sunday weekly to six poor person
of Bilbrough attending Divine Service, who are most in need either in
money or bread.”
Every church had a Poor Box. We see no such poverty
nowadays.
There are entries about the repair of the roads,
the grazing on the common land, the payment for destruction of pests;
for three dozen sparrows 1/-; for fox’s head 1/-; for foumart’s head
(polecat) 4d. (April 3rd 1778)
November 5th was kept – “Ale and candles
1/3. 1779”
Entries record cost of cleaning and repairing
church and getting bread and wine for sacrament Sunday i.e. on Easter,
Whitsun and Christmas (the only occasions when Communion was given in
many churches in the 18th Century).
There is an entry (1720) about subscriptions for
the sinking of a well for the village.
Archbishop Herring asked for returns from the
clergy in 1743, and the Bilbrough returns are of interest:
There were about thirty families in the parish, one
private school “where children are taught to read and learn their
Catechism at their parents’ expense, who take care to bring them to
church.”
There was no vicarage; the incumbent lived at
Askham Richard.
“Public service is performed in my church only once
every Lord’s Day, the other part of the Day it is performed at my church
in Askham Richard.”
“The sacrament is administered in my Church at
least three times a year.”
“When I catechise, which is in Lent, the parents
send their children to be catechised.”
The Parish Registers have an entry of the baptism
of the child of George Teazle ‘soldier at the beacon, 1808.’ The
beacon, on Ingrish Hill was one of a chain of beacons to warn the
country if Napoleon landed. Remains of the beacon were found by Mr
Atkinson some years ago.
It is interesting to note from the Registers how
self sufficient even so small a village as Bilbrough was. Occupantions
recorded: butcher, tailor, cordwainer, joiner, labourer, farmer, school
teacher, shoemaker, wheelwright, shop keeper, blacksmith and victualler
(at the Three Hares).
Apart from Black Tom, Bilbrough has gained fame
from the poet Andrew Marvell. He was for a few years tutor to Maria,
Black Tom’s daughter, and lived at Nun Appleton. The poem ‘Upon the
Hill and Grove of Bil-borrow’ is dedicated to Lord Fairfax. This hill –
Ingrish Hill – had a grove of trees on top, and though Marvell says it
was visible to sailors coming up the Humber, it is more likely it was
the Ouse when ‘after a long journey, and upon catching sight of
Bilbrough Hill, sailors could prepare to unload their cargo at York,
still in Marvell’s time a significant port.’ (R Wilson, Dept. of
English, York University.)
The
Altar Table
Before you leave the church look again at the east
end and the Altar Table, the focal point of all Catholic Churches. The
Altar Table is both ancient and modern. It is ancient in that the
medieval altar stone with the five consecration crosses (five for the
five wounds of the Christ) has been re-used. It is also modern, made in
1970 to incorporate the old stone.
So the altar-table reminds us that while we can
learn from the past, we not be fettered by the past. The present age
has rejected a good deal of the cant, hypocrisy, humbug, pomposity, of a
former age. No doubt future ages will reject much that we prize. The
church always needs the renewal of the Holy Spirit. Strong winds of
change disturb and bewilder. But “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday,
today and for ever,” (Hebrews, Ch.13, V.5.) The Holy Table for the
Lord’s own service on the Lord’s own day still stands as the place where
Jesus is known in the Breaking of the Bread. A modern Communion Service
ends: “Go forth in peace”… Take into the world what you have learned
in the House of God.
The Bell
Tower
The home of the
Bell Ringers
In May 1988, the
existing bell frame was found to be dangerous and any further ringing or
chiming would be hazardous as this was likely to collapse the bell frame
with disastrous consequences. It was essential that
a new steel frame was made as soon as possible. It was also necessary
to replace the separate ringing and chiming mechanisms of the bells.
A new frame capable of supporting five bells was manufactured locally and installed. The
three restored and re-tuned bells were re-hung in the new steel frame in 1991. The Millennium Bell
Appeal formed the final part of this earlier project by raising funds to
buy and install the remaining two bells in the frame. The new bells were
dedicated at a special service held on Sunday 14th November
1999 by the Right Reverend Humphrey Taylor, Bishop of Selby.
The Bells comprise:
Bell |
Founder |
Date |
Weight |
Treble |
Mears & Stainbank,
London |
1918 |
3
- 2 - 0 |
2 |
Thomas
Mears II, London
|
1837 |
4 - 2
- 24 |
3 |
George
Dalton, York
|
1789 |
5 - 0
- 27 |
4 |
George
Dalton, York
|
1789 |
6 - 0
- 16 |
Tenor
|
George
Dalton, York |
1789 |
6 - 2
- 24 |
The bells were rung
on 31st December 1999 to celebrate the Millennium and joined
in the New Year celebrations by being rung at midday on 1st
January 2000 with all the church bells in Great Britain.
The peal is tuned to the key of B flat
(945Hz)
|