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St Mary's Church, South Cowton
A stone church seen from a slight angle, with an embattled tower on the left, the nave in the centre, and the chancel on the right
St Mary's Church, South Cowton, from the south
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OS grid reference NZ 293 026
Location South Cowton, North Yorkshire
Country England
Denomination Anglican
Website Churches Conservation Trust
Architecture
Functional status Redundant
Heritage designation Grade I
Designated 31 March 1970
Architectural type Church
Style Gothic
Groundbreaking 1450
Completed 1470
Specifications
Materials Sandstone, lead roof

St Mary's Church is an old Anglican church in the countryside. It stands near Scotch Corner in North Yorkshire, England. This church is no longer used for regular services.

It is a very important building, listed as a Grade I listed building. This means it has special historical value. The Churches Conservation Trust now looks after it.

History of St Mary's Church

This church was built a long time ago, between 1450 and 1470. Sir Richard Conyers had it built. He also built South Cowton Castle nearby.

The land around the church was changed for farming back then. The church was repaired in 1883 to keep it in good shape. Since 1988, the Churches Conservation Trust has been taking care of St Mary's.

Church Architecture and Design

Outside the Church

St Mary's Church is made from stone blocks and smaller stones. Its roof is covered with lead. The church has a main hall (called a nave) and a special area for the altar (called a chancel). There's also a tower at the west end.

The tower is built in a style called Perpendicular Gothic. It has openings for bells with curved tops. The top of the tower has a fancy edge with pointy decorations called pinnacles. A small stair tower is on one corner.

On the side of the main hall, there are three windows. Two have three sections, and one has two sections. On the side of the chancel, there's a doorway. Above it are two stone panels with family symbols. Next to the doorway, higher up, are two more windows.

Inside the Church

Inside, the church has a roof with flat beams. The font, where baptisms happen, is octagon-shaped and from the 1400s. There's also an old painting from the 1400s on an arch.

You can see the original wooden seats for the choir. There's also a special screen that used to separate the main hall from the altar area. Stone statues of Sir Christopher Boynton and his two wives are also inside.

The entrance porch has a curved roof. Above it, there's a small room where the priest might have stayed. One of the choir seats has a unique "two-faced" carving. The church has three bells. They were made in 1700, 1712, and 1883.

See also

  • Grade I listed buildings in North Yorkshire
  • List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in Northern England
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