St Robert's Church, Pannal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Robert's Church, Pannal |
|
|---|---|
| St Robert of Knaresborough Parish Church | |
St Roberts Church, 2014
|
|
 St Robert's Church, Pannal
Location in North Yorkshire
|
|
| 53°57′39″N 1°32′12″W / 53.96083°N 1.53667°W | |
| OS grid reference | SE305517 |
| Location | Pannal, North Yorkshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic (13th century–1539) |
| Churchmanship | Central |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | St Michael the Archangel (or All Angels) |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | 13th century |
| Dedication | Robert of Knaresborough |
| Dedicated | 1319 |
| Consecrated | 1348 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed 1149449 |
| Designated | 18 July 1949 |
| Architectural type | Parish church |
| Style | Medieval |
| Specifications | |
| Bells | 3 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Ecclesiastical parish of St Robert of Knaresborough, Pannal (300230 30/230) |
| Deanery | Harrogate (30104) |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeacon of Ripon (301) |
| Diocese | Diocese of Leeds |
St Robert's Church in Pannal, North Yorkshire, England, is a very old and important building. It is also known as St Robert of Knaresborough Parish Church. It is a Grade II* listed building, which means it is a special historic place.
The first church here was made of wood in the 1200s and was dedicated to St Michael. Later, in the 1300s, monks from Knaresborough Priory rebuilt it using sandstone. It was probably around this time that it was renamed after Robert of Knaresborough. Over the years, parts of the church have been rebuilt and updated, especially in the 1700s, 1800s, and 1900s. Today, it is still an active parish church and serves the local community.
Contents
Where is St Robert's Church?
The church is located on Main Street in the old part of Pannal village. It stands about 85 meters (279 feet) above sea level. Pannal is a village spread out among farms and woods. The church's tower, with its castle-like top, is easy to spot from far away. Right across from the church is Pannal Hall, which was once home to the Bentley family. This family helped take care of the church's chancel (the area around the altar).
A Look Back at History
The village of Pannal was first mentioned in records in 1170. A wooden church was likely on this spot by 1250. We know for sure it was there in 1271. This early church was called St Michael the Archangel.
The current stone church was built before May 1318. Around that time, it was damaged by a Scottish raiding party. They attacked Knaresborough Castle and then came to Pannal, where they stole cattle and burned the church. Monks from Knaresborough Priory rebuilt the chancel in 1319. These monks belonged to the Trinitarian Order, which was linked to Robert of Knaresborough. This might be why the church was then dedicated to him. The church was officially opened in 1348.
In 1539, the priory was closed down, and Pannal Church became Protestant. For a long time, until the 1800s, this church was the center of village life. It held important village documents and helped people in need. The church even supported the village constable, and old stocks (a device used for punishment) were once near the churchyard gate.
Who was St Robert?
St Robert's Church in Pannal is the only church in the whole United Kingdom named after Robert of Knaresborough (1170–1218). He was born in York. He became a subdeacon and then lived as a hermit in Knaresborough.
St Robert was known as a very holy man. He lived in different places, including Spofforth, which is near Pannal. He spent his life caring for the poor. Important people like King John and other powerful families supported him.
What the Church Looks Like
St Robert's Church is a Grade II* listed building because its tower and chancel are from the Middle Ages. It is built from sandstone and has slate roofs.
The chancel, which is the part of the church near the altar, is smaller and lower than the main part of the church (the nave). It was built in the 1300s. The tower was added later, in the 1400s or 1500s.
The nave was rebuilt in 1772 in a style called Georgian. It used to have round windows, a plaster ceiling, and box pews (pews with high sides). In the 1880s, the church was restored. The old pews were replaced with new ones, and the floor was changed. The current wooden ceiling was probably put in at this time. More changes happened in 1929, including new windows and electric lights. In the 1930s, an organ loft was added in the tower. Later, in the 1950s, 1970s, and 1980s, new parts like a porch, a chapter house, meeting rooms, and a kitchen were added.
-
The tower from the 1400s–1500s
-
The chancel from the 1300s
-
The south side in the early 1900s
-
The south side in 2014, showing newer parts
-
Wooden ceiling beams in the chancel
Outside the Church
The church tower has three main sections on the outside. It has a spiral staircase inside its south wall. The main entrance door on the west side is ribbed and has a pointed arch. Above it is a large window. The top section of the tower has openings for the bells and a battlement (a wall with gaps, like a castle). At night, the tower is lit up.
The nave has features from its Georgian rebuilding, like special corner stones. The windows were changed in 1929. The chancel has four windows, including a large east window. On the south side, there is a small doorway for the priest. One of the stained glass windows in the chancel is from Knaresborough Priory. It shows a coat of arms with two oak trees and a red and blue Trinitarian cross. The oak trees might remember a time in 1255 when the king gave three oak trees to the monks for the church.
On the outside walls of the tower, there are very old, faded carvings. They are about 2.5 cm (1 inch) wide and about 3 meters (10 feet) from the ground. These might be consecration crosses, which were put on churches after a special blessing ceremony.
Inside the Church
Sanctuary and Chancel
In the sanctuary (the area around the altar), there are two stone supports called corbels. The floor has memorial mosaics from the early 1900s, with a burial crypt underneath. The chancel has a 14th-century piscina (a basin for washing sacred vessels). The walls are plastered, and the roof was restored in 1884.
The nave's roof has been rebuilt many times, but its main features are from the 1800s. The walls are plastered, and there are wooden floors under the pews. An organ is placed between the nave and the tower.
The font, where baptisms take place, is made of polished marble and has an unusual oval shape. Its wooden cover has a small dove on top. The pulpit, where sermons are given, is from the 1900s and has a figure of the Good Shepherd. The pews are mostly from the 1800s. The altar table includes older wooden panels from the 1600s. The east window shows the Nativity (the birth of Jesus) and was put in in 1883.
The oval font is quite rare. Church records from 1686 mention a loop ring on the font, which is still there today. This shows the font is even older than 1686! Some stories say it came from Fountains Abbey or was once a wine cooler in a grand house. The wooden cover was made in 1772. The brass eagle lectern (a stand for reading) was given to the church in 1875.
-
The oval font
-
The pulpit
-
Carving on a choir stall
-
The altar table
-
The east window
Tower
The tower has three floors inside, but visitors cannot go up. There's a very narrow stone spiral staircase. The ground floor is a vestry (a room for clergy). The middle floor holds the clock mechanism, which powers the three blue clock faces on the outside. This clock is from the 1800s and used to be wound by hand. Now, electric motors power it. The clock chimes the hour using a clapper on the largest bell.
The top floor is the bell chamber. Two of the three working bells are from 1669 and 1703. They were recast (melted down and reshaped) by Samuel Smith of York. The smallest bell might be as old as the tower itself, from the 1400s or 1500s.
-
Spiral stairs in the tower
-
The bell chamber
-
The clock mechanism
-
View north from the bell chamber
Chapter House
In the chapter house (a meeting room), you can see a pair of handcuffs and a truncheon (a short stick). These were used by village constables in the 1700s and 1800s, who were hired by the church.
Churchyard and Surroundings
Old cottages and a forge (a blacksmith's workshop) once stood in front of the church. They were taken down in 1970, and their stones were used to build the church's car park wall. The gateposts leading to the churchyard are said to be the original posts for the village stocks.
Near the south entrance, there is an old sundial base. It once had a message in Latin: "Redime Tempus," which means "redeeming the time." This refers to a Bible verse about making the most of your time. The stone foot-scrapers by the south entrance are made from parts of columns from the original 1319 nave. Many people are buried here, including Joseph Thackeray, who managed a famous sulphur well in Harrogate, and Betty Lupton, known as the "Queen of Wells" from Harrogate's spa.
People Who Served the Church
The list of clergy (church leaders) for Pannal goes all the way back to 1271. The first was William de Sancto Martino. In 1348, Brother John Brown became the first paid vicar of Pannal, but he sadly died in 1349 from the Black Death. After the priory closed in 1539, the church became Protestant, and new ministers took over.
One notable vicar was Mark Rowntree, who served from 1883 to 1920. He even wrote a book about Pannal's history. Since 1980, the churches of Pannal and Beckwithshaw have shared one vicar.
As of 2018, the vicar is the Reverend John Smith. He started in January 2014 and also serves the Church of St Michael of all Angels at Beckwithshaw. The curate (a junior priest) is The Revd Abbie Palmer, who was ordained in 2017.
Visiting the Church
You can usually visit the church by making an appointment. During the summer, it is often open all day for visitors. However, the tower is not open to the public. There is a toilet and a car park available.
St Robert's Church has a Junior Church (Sunday school) for younger kids, a youth group, and a choir. It also has an organ and hosts concerts. The church is wheelchair accessible and has a hearing induction loop for people with hearing aids. Large-print hymn books are also available.
Church Events
The church hall is used for many local events, like the yearly beer festival held in the chapter house. The mobile library used to stop regularly outside the church. Many groups meet at the chapter house, including the Mothers' Union and Pannal Women's Fellowship. The Pannal Textile Group also meets there and sometimes puts on exhibitions.
In 2013, St Robert's Church won a bronze award in the "Harrogate in Bloom" competition for its community grounds. The church also hosted a Red Nose Day tea in 2013, where people had fun and played pranks.
|
