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St Mary's Church, Birdsall

Coordinates: 54°04′41″N 0°45′02″W / 54.07796°N 0.75065°W / 54.07796; -0.75065
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The church, in 2004

St Mary's Church is the parish church of Birdsall, North Yorkshire, a village in England.

St Mary's Church was first recorded in 1130. By the early 19th century, it was in poor repair.[1] In 1824, it was demolished and rebuilt for Henry Willoughby, 6th Baron Middleton, to a design by James Pigott Pritchett and Charles Watson. Between 1879 and 1881, C. Hodgson Fowler added a chancel and an additional stage to the tower. The church was Grade II listed in 1966.[2]

The Gothic revival church is built of limestone. It consists of a three-bay nave, with a boiler house to the north, a two-bay chancel with an organ chamber to the north, and a west tower. The tower has three stages, diagonal stepped buttresses, a semi-octagonal stair turret to the north, string courses, and an openwork parapet with octagonal corner turrets and finials. On the lowest stage is a window with a pointed head on the west side, and on the south side is a doorway with a pointed head, a hood mould with crockets, and a bas-relief with two figures and a coat of arms. In the middle stage are lancet windows, and above, the bell openings have three lights. Along the nave are pierced parapets. The east window has a five-light window, and below it is a door providing access to the crypt.[2]

Inside the church are numerous memorials, including a 14th century recumbent figure of a woman, two black marble monuments from the late 17th century, a plaque to Thomas Southeby, designed by John Michael Rysbrack, and a white marble model of a kneeling woman, designed by Richard Westmacott.[2] John Betjeman described the church as having "good modern glass".[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Parish records of Birdsall". Archives Hub. Jisc. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Historic England. "Church of Saint Mary (1149110)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  3. ^ Betjemen, John (1958). An American's Guide to English Parish Churches. McDowell. ISBN 9780839210047.

54°04′41″N 0°45′02″W / 54.07796°N 0.75065°W / 54.07796; -0.75065