Church of St Mary the Virgin, Muker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Mary, Muker |
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| Church of St Mary the Virgin, Muker | |
| St Mary Muker | |
Church of St Mary, Muker
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 Church of St Mary, Muker
Location in North Yorkshire
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| 54°22′35″N 2°08′21″W / 54.3763°N 2.1391°W | |
| Location | Muker, North Yorkshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Founded | 1580 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Swaledale with Arkengarthdale |
| Benefice | Swaledale with Arkengarthdale |
| Deanery | Richmond |
| Archdeaconry | Richmond and Craven |
| Diocese | Leeds |
The Church of St Mary the Virgin is an old Anglican church in the village of Muker, in North Yorkshire, England. It is one of four churches in the local area that belong to the Parish of Swaledale with Arkengarthdale. The church was built in 1580. Before this, a smaller chapel, called a chapel-of-ease, stood on the same spot. This chapel was connected to the main Church of St Andrew in Grinton.
Before St Mary's Church was built, important events like baptisms, weddings, and funerals had to take place at the church in Grinton. The Church of St Mary the Virgin is special because it is one of the few churches built during the time of Queen Elizabeth I, known as the Elizabethan era.
A Church for the Community
For a long time, people living in Muker, Keld, and other parts of Upper Swaledale had to carry their deceased loved ones along a path called the Corpse Road. This journey was about 10 to 14 miles long to Grinton for burial. It could take up to three days to complete, with many stops along the way.
In August 1580, the Bishop of Chester, William Chaderton, visited the area. He gave permission for the people of Muker to hold their own baptisms, weddings, and funerals. This meant they no longer had to travel all the way to Grinton for these important events. However, they still had to pay their church duties to the vicar of Grinton.
So, the church at Muker was allowed to handle its own local services. But it remained a "daughter church" to St Andrew's in Grinton for 300 years. Finally, in 1892, St Mary's was given its own parish. This made it an independent church. After a chapel in Keld was destroyed, St Mary's became a very important place for religious activities in the area.
The Church's Story
The Church of St Mary was built in 1580. This makes it a rare example of a church from the Elizabethan period. Not many new places of worship were built during that time. When it was first built, the roof was made of thatch. This was replaced with slate in 1791.
It is believed that the church tower was shorter when it was first built. It was made taller in 1719. The tower is about 7 feet 9 inches by 7 feet 3 inches wide. The main part of the church, which includes the nave and chancel, is about 68 feet long and 22 feet wide.
In the 1890s, some old paintings, called frescoes, were found under the layers of paint on the walls. However, these were not kept. Some of the stones used in the church walls might be even older, possibly from the 1300s. The original bells in the tower are thought to have come from Ellerton Priory. This happened after the Dissolution of the Monasteries, when many monasteries were closed down. The bells did not have a date on them, but their shape suggests they were from the Medieval period.
The church has beautiful stained glass windows. One of them, the east window, shows the countryside around the church, including the River Swale. The church was updated in 1890. During this time, a gallery at the west end of the church was removed. This made the church smaller and was not very popular with the local people. You enter the church through the south door, above which there is a sundial.
Outside the church, about 3 meters south of the porch, there is an old stone font. This font is a grade II listed item, meaning it is historically important. It might even be the original font from when the church was built in 1580.
Location and Church Group
The Church of St Mary is part of the parish and benefice of Swaledale with Arkengarthdale. This group includes four churches in total. The other three churches are St Andrew's Grinton, St Mary's Arkengarthdale, and Holy Trinity at Low Row. In the past, the church was part of the Diocese of Chester. Today, it belongs to the Diocese of Leeds.
Images for kids
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Church of St Mary, Muker
