Description

EASBY EASBY
NZ 10 SE

4/41 Church of St Agatha

4.2.69

GV I

Church. C12, c1200, C13 and late C14, restored 1869 by Sir G G Scott.
Rubble; artificial slate, stone slate and lead roofs. 3-bay nave with west
bellcote, 2-storey south porch, south aisle and north transept, 3-bay
chancel. Nave, west end: C12; pilaster buttresses flank lancet with head-
stops to label; C19 2-light bellcote. Porch: late C14. Offset buttress to
left; double-chamfered pointed-arch doorway under label with shield stops,
and a trefoil-headed niche above, and a chamfered first-floor light; line of
Perpendicular roof below C19 gable; in west wall, early medieval grave cover
set in plinth and chamfered stair vent; inside porch a chamfered pointed-
arch doorway to east wall, 2 aumbry-like openings in west wall, chamfered
and shafted south nave doorway of c1200 with head stops to label and
original door; barrel vault. South aisle: late C14. Bays divided by offset
buttresses. Two 2-light Perpendicular windows with hood-moulds; a 2-light
chamfered mullion window. C19 ashlar parapet. Flat lead roof. East end of
aisle: medieval grave covers with foliate crosses built into plinth; 3-light
Perpendicular window. Artificial slate roof to nave, with ashlar copings.
Nave north wall: 2 lancets with head-stops to labels. North transept: early
C14. Plinth, and first-floor offset. Ground-foor window of 3 trefoiled
lights; small first-floor lancet. Chancel, south side: C12. Quoins to
right. Low small lancet; round-headed windows with hood-moulds flanking
chamfered pointed-arch priest's doorway with head-stops to label and
pilaster buttress to right; 2-light Perpendicular window; pilaster buttress.
Stone slate roof. Ashlar coping, gable cross. Chancel, east end: pilaster
buttresses flanking early C13 round-arched window of 3 pointed lights, with
head-stops to label. Chancel, north side: early C13. From east: hollow-
chamfered round-headed window; shallow projection of internal tomb recess
with stone roof; 2 similar windows; low small lancet. Interior: 3-bay
arcade of early C14 double-chamfered arches with labels and original chevron
stencils on late C13 octagonal piers with crude capitals; smaller late C13
double-chamfered arch to south chapel; early C14 double-chamfered arch to
north transept; C19 Early-English-style chancel arch. C12 bench table along
west wall returns along part of north wall. Outline of round-arched north
doorway. South doorway has chamfered segmental rear-arch and octagonal
stoup. To west,pointed-arch doorway with C14 door to porch staircase.
Above south door, Queen Anne coat of arms. In west wall of south aisle,
chamfered unglazed window from porch chamber. Romanesque lead-lined font
with delicate arcading on twisted colonettes and palmette frieze, on later
stem. South chapel: enclosed by 2- and 3-light Perpendicular wooden screens
with fragments of cresting; trefoil-headed piscina with nailhead decoration;
brass on south wall to Mrs Eleanor Bowes d1623. Chancel, south side:
trefoil-headed piscina with roll moulding; 3-seater sedilia with trefoil-
headed arches and mid C13 paintings of bishops. North side: tomb recess
with lidless coffin. Plaster cast of c700 Easby Cross, now in Victoria and
Albert Museum. East window: 3 small panels of medieval glass, C12 figures
of St John, a Premonstratensian Canon and a C15 angel. Wall paintings: the
church possesses a unique collection of mid C13 frescoes in the chancel
discovered during the C19 restoration of the church and delicately restored
by Burlinson and Grylls: on the reveals of the 2 easternmost north windows
are 4 Rogationtide figures depicting Sowing, Pruning, Digging and Hawking;
on the north wall are scenes from the Garden of Eden; on the south wall are
scenes from the Nativity and Passion. The church was served by
Premonstratensian Canons from Easby Abbey. VCH i, pp 62-64.

Listing NGR: NZ1854700273

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• St Agatha's Church, Easby at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q45740905

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.

Recommended Books

• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)