Church of St Oswald, Filey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Oswald, Filey |
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| St Oswald's Church | |
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The Church of St Oswald, Filey
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| 54°12′47″N 0°17′13″W / 54.213°N 0.287°W | |
| OS grid reference | TA117810 |
| Location | Filey, North Yorkshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | St Oswald |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Style | Norman Early English |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 140 feet (42.8 m) |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Filey |
| Benefice | Filey |
| Deanery | Scarborough |
| Archdeaconry | East Riding |
| Diocese | York |
The Church of St Oswald, Filey, is a church in the town of Filey, North Yorkshire, England. This historic building was mostly built in the 12th and 13th centuries. Some battlements were added in the 15th century. Today, it is a very important historical building, known as a grade I listed structure. A famous expert named Nikolaus Pevsner called it "easily the finest church" in its area.
St Oswald's Church stands on the northern edge of a deep dip in the land that divides Filey. Historically, the church was in one county (North Riding of Yorkshire) and the rest of the town was in another (East Riding of Yorkshire). The church's tall tower has been a helpful landmark for sailors traveling along the coast. It also guided ships trying to land safely on Filey's sandy beaches.
Because of its size (over 130 feet (40 m) long) and special design, some historians think this church was more important than a regular local church. They even call it "a cathedral in miniature" because it's so grand for a small town. The church is also listed in Simon Jenkins' book England's Thousand Best Churches.
Contents
History of St Oswald's Church
The main design of St Oswald's Church is a cross shape. Experts believe it was first built around 1150. However, some parts of the church suggest it might be even older. Most historians agree the church was built between 1180 and 1230. This was a time when building styles were changing from Norman to Early English.
The church is very long (140 feet (42.8 m)) compared to other churches nearby. This, along with its location on a clifftop, makes some people think it was once a very important church. It might have been a "minster" church, which served a larger area.
Who Owned the Land?
Before the Normans took over England, the land where Filey is now belonged to a person named Tostig. He and his wife were followers of Saint Oswald, a king from Northumbria. This is why the church is named after St Oswald. After the Normans arrived, the land was given to the de Gant family. They then gave the Filey church to the monks at Bridlington Priory. These monks later rebuilt the church.
Some people even think Filey's history goes back to Roman times. Its location might have been a Roman fort. Roman coins have been found nearby at Filey Brigg.
Changes Over Time
For a long time, monks from Bridlington Priory looked after the church. This continued until the priory closed down. A record from 1353 says that the "Chapel of Filey" was special and didn't have to follow all the usual rules for churches.
The basic structure of the church hasn't changed much since the 1200s. However, the roofs have been made lower over the years. The church shows a mix of building styles. It has round-headed windows from the Norman style, but also pointed arches from the Early English style. The main part of the church has six sections. The altar area is a bit lower, with two steps leading down to it.
The church had a big repair project in 1839, which cost over £1,500. There's a carved figure on a wall inside the church. Some say it shows a "boy bishop" who died while in office. Others think it's just a regular person. The church also has special seats for priests called "sedilia."
There used to be a sundial outside the priest's door. It had a Greek saying on it: Nyx Epetai, which means "The night cometh." This was unusual because most sundials used Latin. Sadly, this sundial was stolen in the early 2000s.
Modern Filey and the Church
In the 1800s, Filey became a popular place for tourists. With the arrival of the railway, the town grew much bigger. To help with the growing population, St John's Church was built in Filey between 1870 and 1871. It was a smaller church that helped St Oswald's. Today, both St John's and St Oswald's churches are part of the same local church area, along with St Thomas' church in nearby Gristhorpe.
St Oswald's Church was repaired again between 1885 and 1886. This work cost £3,600. An architect named William Swinden Barber led the project. They lowered the floors back to their original level and fixed damaged walls. The Archbishop of York officially reopened the church in August 1886. In 1908, part of the roof had to be rebuilt after a fire.
The Church's Location and Tower
Originally, Filey was a small fishing village. The church was across a small valley called Church Ravine. This ravine was the border between two counties. People used to say, "He'll soon be in the North Riding," if someone was very ill. This meant they were close to the church, which was in the North Riding.
In 1857, a huge storm washed away the stone bridge across the ravine. A new iron bridge was built in 1871. This was replaced again in 1994 because it became unsafe. In 1974, all of Filey was moved into one county, North Yorkshire.
The church's tower is about 30 feet (9 m) by 30 feet (9 m). It is meant to be in the center of the building, but it's actually a little off-center. Some think this is because the ground on the west side couldn't hold the tower's weight. Others believe the tower was originally at the west end but had to be moved. The tower has been a guide for ships for hundreds of years. It helped sailors find their way between major rivers and London.
In 2014, workers found old drawings and carvings (graffiti) on the lead roof of the tower. A closer look found nearly 1,500 examples! These included simple shapes like hands and hearts, and even a drawing of a "Whitby Cat." Experts believe these drawings are from the 1700s and 1800s. One of the steps in the tower's staircase is actually a grave cover from the 700s!
Past Church Leaders
Reverend Thomas Norfolk Jackson was the church leader at St Oswald's from 1833 to 1873. The famous writer Charlotte Brontë visited Filey in the 1850s. She described Reverend Jackson as a "well-meaning, but utterly inactive clergyman."
Another interesting church leader was Reverend A N Cooper, who served from 1880 to 1935. He was famous for walking over 200 miles (320 km) to London! After that success, he took six weeks off and walked all the way to Rome.
Churchyard Stories
The famous writer Charles Dickens wrote a lot about his time looking at the gravestones in the churchyard. He was especially touched by the difficult lives of the local fishermen and their wives.
The churchyard has over a thousand graves. Twenty-five of these are for soldiers who died in wars. The churchyard stopped allowing new burials in 2014, but people can still bury ashes there. Some crew members from the fishing boat "Joan Margaret" are buried here. Their boat sank after hitting mines.
In 2019, a special court meeting decided that a body had been buried in the churchyard without permission in 2018. The person who died had wanted to be buried there with their relatives. However, the churchyard was closed for burials. Even though the church leader had explained this, the body was buried while he was away. The court ruled it was an illegal burial, but they allowed the body to stay because it was the person's last wish.
