Church of St Oswald, Lythe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Oswald, Lythe |
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| St Oswald's Church, Lythe | |
St. Oswald's church, Lythe, through lych-gate
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 Church of St Oswald, Lythe
Location in North Yorkshire
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| 54°30′24″N 0°41′18″W / 54.5066°N 0.6884°W | |
| OS grid reference | NZ850131 |
| Location | Lythe, North Yorkshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Weekly attendance | 20 |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Dedication | St Oswald |
| Associated people | John Fisher |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Lythe with Sandsend |
| Benefice | Hinderwell, Roxby & Staithes with Lythe, Ugthorpe & Sandsend |
| Deanery | Whitby |
| Archdeaconry | Cleveland |
| Diocese | York |
The Church of St Oswald, Lythe is a historic church in the village of Lythe, North Yorkshire, England. It is located about 4 miles (6.4 km) northwest of Whitby. You can find it at the top of Lythe Bank, just east of the village, right next to the A174 road.
A church has stood on this spot since the 13th century. However, the building you see today was mostly rebuilt in 1910 by a famous architect named Sir Walter Tapper. The church is very important, so it was given a special "grade I listed" status in 1969. This means it's a building of exceptional historical interest.
Contents
History of St Oswald's Church
A church has been here for a very long time, since the 1200s. But even older stones found in the early 1900s show that Lythe was an important Viking burial place.
Rebuilding and Special Features
The church's tower was fixed up in 1769, and the whole church was renovated in 1819. When Sir Walter Tapper rebuilt most of the church in 1910, he kept only the north wall and the east end of the chancel (the part near the altar). During this rebuilding, workers found stones from before the Norman Conquest (1066) inside the tower walls.
Sir Walter Tapper also added a spire to the old Norman tower. This spire is very tall and acts as a landmark. It helps sailors find their way along the coast, which can be quite tricky.
Church Ownership and Location
The church was given to the monks of Nostell Priory a long time ago, between 1159 and 1181. They named it after St Oswald, a famous king and saint. Later, in the 1530s, the church became property of the King. This happened after Sir Francis Bigod, who supported the church, was executed for treason.
Before Tapper's big rebuild, the church had seen many changes. Its walls were made stronger with supports called buttresses. Also, two arches inside were removed to create one larger arch. The very top of the tower was taken down around 1768 because people worried it might fall. In 1818, the lead roof was replaced with slate tiles. The churchyard was made bigger in 1887, and a special gate called a lych-gate was added around the same time.
The church is very close to the coast, only about 350 feet (107 meters) away. It sits next to a very steep road called Lythe Bank. Its high position gives it amazing views over the road and the sea to the east. A smaller church, St Mary's at Sandsend, was built later. This meant people in Sandsend didn't have to climb the steep Lythe Bank to get to St Oswald's.
Even though some people thought the church wasn't very old because of the 1910 rebuild, it was still given a "grade I listed" status in 1969. This shows how important it is.
In 2018, the roof was replaced again. The old sandstone tiles from Tapper's time were taken off. A local artist carved these old stones into unique artworks. These pieces were then sold during the 2019 Tour de Yorkshire to raise money for the church.
Churchyard and Memorials
The churchyard around St Oswald's is a burial ground with many graves. Some of these graves are very old, dating back to the 900s.
Notable Burials
Several members of the Phipps family are buried here. The Phipps family has owned Mulgrave Castle and its surrounding woods for many centuries. Oswald Phipps, 4th Marquess of Normanby, a well-known member of this family, was buried here in 1994.
War and Sailor Memorials
The churchyard also has a special memorial for the seventeen men from the village who died in the First World War. It also remembers seven unknown sailors whose bodies washed ashore during the same time. This memorial is located southwest of the church and is also a "grade II listed" building, meaning it's historically important.
In 1932, a Belgian fishing boat called the Jeanne was shipwrecked near Lythe. The churchyard contains a grave for three of the sailors who died in that accident.
Church Community and Area
The Church of St Oswald is the main church for the Parish of Lythe. This parish is quite large, covering over 40 square miles (100 km²).
Parish Settlements
The parish includes several small towns and villages. These are Lythe, Sandsend, Goldsborough, East & West Barnby, and Kettleness. The area is mostly a rural seaside landscape, with beautiful views of the coast.
Church Activities
St Oswald's is part of a larger group of churches called the benefice of Hinderwell, Roxby & Staithes with Lythe, Ugthorpe & Sandsend. This larger area has about 2,700 people. While 74 people attend church in the benefice, only about 20 regularly attend St Oswald's. In 2016, St Oswald's held three baptisms, nine weddings, and seven funerals.
Clergy of St Oswald's
For many centuries, the church has had leaders called rectors or vicars. From 1154 to 1537, they were known as rectors. After 1537, when King Henry VIII presented Edward Layton, they became known as vicars.
One interesting historical note is about John Fisher, who was in charge from 1499 to 1504. Some sources believe he might be the famous Catholic Martyr John Fisher.
