All Saints Church, Darton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Saints' Church, Darton |
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| 53°35′06″N 1°31′57″W / 53.585°N 1.5325°W | |
| OS grid reference | SE 31110 09915 |
| Location | Darton |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad church |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Darton |
| Deanery | Barnsley |
| Archdeaconry | Pontefract |
| Diocese | Leeds |
| Province | York |
The Church of All Saints is a special parish church in the village of Darton, South Yorkshire, England. It belongs to the Church of England and is part of the Diocese of Leeds. This amazing building, mostly from the 16th century, is so important that it's a Grade I listed site. It was built where an even older church once stood. Records show there has been a church here since at least 1150!
Contents
A Look Back at History
The villages of Darton and Kexbrough are mentioned in the Domesday Book from 1086. But the first time we hear about the church itself is in 1150. The original church was built by two important lords: John de Laci and Sir John de Sothill.
Who Owned the Church?
For a long time, the de Laci family looked after the church. Then, it became the King's responsibility, as the Duke of Lancaster. In 1483, King Richard III gave the church to the Friars of the Priory of St Mary Magdalene at Monk Bretton. This was in exchange for a forest in Lancashire.
However, when Henry VII became King in 1485, he took back both the forest and the church. After a special request to Parliament, the church was given back to the Friars.
Building a Bigger Church
Soon after getting the church back, the Friars started a huge building project. They wanted to replace the old Norman church with a much larger one. This new church was built in a style called "Perpendicular" and was finished in 1517.
The main reason for rebuilding was to make the church bigger. More people were living in the area, and the old church was too small. During this building work, the Friars might have used old gravestones as building materials. You can still see at least twelve old cross slabs built into the church walls!
The Church's Wide Reach
The area that All Saints' Church served used to be much larger. It stretched south towards Barnsley and east to include places like Barugh and Kexbrough. For over 800 years, All Saints' Church was the main place of worship for this big area. Over time, some parts became their own separate parishes.
Hidden History Inside
Not much of the original Norman church is left. But in the north-west corner, you can see a hint of an "anchorite cell." This was a small, lean-to building attached to the church. Hermits, often women, would live inside this tiny space for the rest of their lives. They were "anchored" to the church to serve it.
Near the modern kitchen, you can also see the base of the church's original Norman font. A font is a basin used for baptisms. The top part of this old font was given to a new church, St Thomas’ Church Gawber, in 1877. Later, the old Norman font was stolen from the churchyard.
Further along the north wall, you'll find steps that once led to a "rood screen." This screen used to separate the main part of the church (the nave) from the altar area (the chancel). Kids on school visits love to climb these steps and imagine what it was like when the screen was there!
The Beaumont Chapel
On the north side of the altar is the Beaumont Chapel, also known as the Lady Chapel. It has several memorials to the Beaumont family. One large marble memorial shows a sad-looking child leaning on an hourglass.
Underneath the altar in this chapel are five grave slabs. These are currently hidden under the floorboards but might be uncovered in the future. Two of these full-length memorials are made of cast iron, which is very rare for 17th-century grave memorials in the UK! They are in excellent condition.
The chapel also has the oldest stained glass window in the church. It shows Mary Magdalene and was given by Prior Thomas Tykyll in 1526. This window was originally in a different spot. It's special because it has five small crosses etched into the glass, representing the Five Wounds of Christ.
The Ancient Altar
The church's altar is very old, from the 11th century! It's now back in its original place, but it hasn't always been there. During a time called the Reformation, stone altars were removed because they were seen as old-fashioned. This altar was thrown out and replaced with a wooden table.
Luckily, it wasn't destroyed! In 1924, a vicar named Rev. Harold F Helgood found it. He was curious about a stone in the churchyard path, turned it over, and discovered the lost 11th-century Norman altar! Just like the stained glass, this altar also has five crosses carved into its surface.
The John Silvester Chapel
To the south of the chancel is the John Silvester Chapel. It features a very impressive marble monument. This monument shows a stately figure of a man, with two ladies seated beside him. One lady is comforting three children, and the other seems to be holding a glove.
The Darton Imp
Most "imps" (small, mischievous-looking carvings) in churches are hidden away. But the Darton imp is carved high up on a pillar between the nave and the south aisle, about fifteen feet high, right where everyone can see it!
The Darton imp looks a bit odd, like a strange face in profile. It seems the monks who built this part of the church were playing a joke! From its high spot, the imp seems to watch everyone in the church. It has a glaring, serious eye and an open mouth, almost as if it's shouting.
The Church Tower
The church tower stands about 80 feet tall. The monks originally added four pointy tops called pinnacles, but these had to be removed later because they became unsafe due to weather. There are 62 steps to the bell chamber, but visitors can't go up right now. The tower was the first part of the church to be rebuilt by Prior Tykyll.
The old wooden frame that held the church bells was put in place in 1759. It held six bells from Whitechapel. By 1960, it was very old, so it was replaced with a strong steel frame in 1998–99. This new frame should keep the bells safe for many years!
The Friars who finished building this church in 1517, and the Prior who gave the Mary Magdalene stained glass window in 1526, all lost their roles twelve years later. This happened when King Henry VIII closed down the Priory of Monk Bretton on November 21, 1538.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in South Yorkshire
- Listed buildings in Darton
