Church of St Alkelda, Giggleswick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Alkelda's Church |
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| Church of St Alkelda, Giggleswick | |
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| 54°04′19″N 2°17′20″W / 54.072°N 2.289°W | |
| OS grid reference | SD813642 |
| Location | Giggleswick, North Yorkshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Weekly attendance | 40 (2018) |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Alkelda |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architectural type | Early English Perpendicular |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 132 feet (40 m) |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Giggleswick |
| Benefice | Settle |
| Deanery | Bowland and Ewecross |
| Archdeaconry | Richmond and Craven |
| Diocese | Leeds |
St Alkelda's Church is an Anglican (Church of England) church in the village of Giggleswick, North Yorkshire, England. For a long time, it was the main church for a large area, known as a parish. This changed in 1838 when a new church was built in the nearby town of Settle.
The church is named after St. Alkelda, a Saxon princess who is not very well known. It is one of only two churches in England dedicated to her. The church is still an active place of worship today.
Contents
History of the Church
People believe a church has stood on this spot since Saxon times, over a thousand years ago. The building you see today was mostly built in the 14th and 15th centuries. It is thought that an earlier church was destroyed by Scottish raiders around the year 1319.
The first written proof of a church in Giggleswick comes from a letter written in 1160. Over the centuries, the church has been repaired and updated, with major changes in the late 1800s and again in the 2000s.
Who was St. Alkelda?
St. Alkelda is a mysterious figure from history. She was a Saxon princess who was said to have been killed by two Danish women during the Viking invasions. The only other church named for her is in Middleham, also in North Yorkshire, where she is believed to be buried.
There are a few ideas about how the church in Giggleswick got its name.
- The name "Alkelda" might come from the words Halig Keld, which means "holy spring." A holy spring once existed in Giggleswick and fed a large lake called Giggleswick Tarn.
- Another idea is that the church was connected to the one in Middleham. Around the year 670, kings from Northumbria took over land in the area, and they may have linked the two churches.
Building and Changes Over Time
The church is built in a style called Perpendicular, which was popular in the later Middle Ages. It is described as a large and handsome building with a square, castle-like tower.
For many years, students and teachers from the nearby Giggleswick School used the church for their services. The school even helped pay for gas lighting to be installed. In 1901, the school opened its own chapel.
A fascinating discovery was made in the 2010s. While cleaning a room, two church members found an old stained-glass window. It shows St. Alkelda being martyred. Experts think the window was made around 1920, and it has now been installed in the church for everyone to see.
In 2020, the church was given permission to put solar panels on its roof. This helps the church save energy and be more environmentally friendly. The panels were placed on a part of the roof that can't be seen from the ground, so they don't spoil the historic view.
The Church's Role in the Community
For hundreds of years, St. Alkelda's was the main church for a huge parish of over 18,500 acres (7,500 ha). This area included Giggleswick, Settle, and other nearby villages. This meant it was the center of religious life for many people.
In 1838, a new church was built in Settle, which was the area's main market town. Over time, other villages also formed their own parishes. Today, St. Alkelda's serves the smaller parish of Giggleswick.
The church belongs to a larger church group called the Diocese of Leeds. A diocese is an area looked after by a bishop.
The Churchyard
Until the 1800s, the churchyard at St. Alkelda's was the only official burial ground for the whole parish. It is estimated that thousands of people were buried here over the centuries.
A well-known person buried in the churchyard is Russell Harty, a famous TV chat-show host who died in 1988.
Images for kids
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Giggleswick Church, Yorkshire, England (around 1905)
