Description

TF 08 NW SAXBY MAIN STREET
(South side)
6/37
Church of St.Helen
30.11.66
I

Former mortuary chapel now parish church. 1775. Red brick with
ashlar dressings, render, timber, lead roofs. In form of small
classical temple; rectangular on plan, with pedimented distyle
in antis portico, surmounted by a western classical bellcote;
apsidal east end. The western portico is reached up 3 steps and
has Tuscan pit.jars supporting a plain frieze and pediment. The
side walls of the portico are lit by glazed occuli with raised
keystones. The 6 panelled west door, into the nave, has a
moulded stone architrave with restrained moulded overdoor, and is
flanked by single hemispherically headed niches with stone
architraves and raised keyblocks. The floor is of diamond
stone flags. The rendered bellcote has angle Ionic timber
pilasters which rise to a dentillated eaves cornice surmounted by
a shaped lead roof with weather vane at apex. It has a single
glazing bar light with semi-circular head and rusticated wooden
surround to each face. Both nave side walls have ashlar plinth,
cornice, angle. pilasters and 2 windows with semi-circular heads,
leaded lights, ashlar architraves, imposts and keyblocks. The
sills are supported on pairs of moulded brackets. The apsidal
east end has a blocked opening matching those to the sides.
Interior: the west door has a wooden architrave with overdoor
cornice supported on scrolled brackets. The side walls have
wooden panelling to dado height. The walls above are divided
into panels by plain Ionic plaster pilasters which support a
plain frieze and dentillated cornice. The panels are outlined
with moulding. The apse has moulded imposts, plaster architraves
and a raised voluted keystone. The archivolt has blank panels;
the intrados of the hemispherically headed apse is decorated with
plaster diapers containing bas relief flowers with scrolly
petals. The C18 panelled pews and vestry screen, readers desk
and pulpit have matching moulding and Ionic pilasters. The
facetted pulpit has panels decorated with intarsia stars. Altar
rails and table incorporate delicate turned spindles. There are
2 light fittings of wrought iron and a circular candelabra. At
the west end are 2 hatchments to the Earls of Scarborough. The
stained glass in the nave is dated 1869. Monuments consist of 4
wall plaques to the Earls of Scarborough, for whom the chapel was
built, in white marble and in Greek taste, 1832-1856.

Listing NGR: TF0056486298

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17532609

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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