Diameter: 17.75" Bell 1 of 2
Founded by Unidentified (blank)
Dove Bell ID: 53962 Tower ID: 20110 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Finghall: St Andrew
Diocese of Leeds
Church, 646235
http://www.lowerwensleydale.church/churches/st-andrews-finghall/This church is on the Heritage at Risk Register (verified 2025-11-06)
View more information about this church on the Heritage at Risk website
Overview
Grid reference: SE 190 901
Located around half a mile to the north east of the village of Finghall, St Andrew's church has Anglo-Saxon origins, with some stonework surviving, but is predominantly a 12th century, Early English-style building. The churchyard includes three Grade II listed memorials, contributing to the historic interest of the site. The church's low, sloping roof and double bellcote give it a relatively distinctive appearance on an otherwise fairly small, simple church.
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Car park available
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Three-bay nave with north aisle and west porch, and a three-bay chancel with north vestry and heating chamber.
Dimensions:
Approximately: nave 10.4m (34'2ft) x 4.8m, (15'10ft) chancel 8.5m (28ft) x 4.4m (14'4ft), north aisle 2.2m (7'2ft)
Footprint of Church buildings: 209 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
The present building is 12th century, but there has been a church on this site for many centuries before that. The site it believed to have been the location of a Synod in 768. It was once at the heart of the village, but the village became deserted because of plague, leaving the church isolated half a mile away from the current village of Finghall.
The current St Andrew's shows evidence of the old Anglo-Saxon structure, such as a piece of 9th century cross in the chancel wall inside. The building is thought to be of around 1140, with a north aisle added c.1290s. The chancel was rebuilt around 1360 and a restoration of the church was done in 1904.
The church was historically patronised by the Wyvill and Fitzhugh families. The Wyvill family had their seat at Constable Burton Hall, a few miles west of the village, within the parish. The Scrope family of Castle Bolton held the right of advowson until 1415, when Henry Scrope was executed for his role in the Southampton Plot against Henry V.
The churchyard contains several notable memorials, including three Commonwealth War Graves Commission graves and three Grade II-listed memorials: the oldest is a c.14th century, medieval grave cover, possibly commemorating a member of the Fitzhugh family; a grave marker for Catharine Naitby, who died 1779; and a chest tomb commemorates Matthew Edwards who died 1785.
The church was listed Grade II* in 1967.
Exterior Description
The church is built of sandstone rubble with a stone slate roof. It is a low building with a double bellcote on the east gable of the nave, over the chancel arch wall and a roof which extends low to the ground on the north side. There are pieces of Anglo-Saxon stonework incorporated into the fabric of the building.
The west end has the porch advancing, with two single-light windows on the nave west end and a single-light window in the west side of the porch, flanked by triangular buttresses. The south side of the nave has three 19th century trefoiled 2-light windows, with a blocked doorway from around 1140 in between the first two. The chancel continues, recessed slightly from the nave, with a 19th century priest's doorway flanked by two 14th century trefoiled 2-light windows with hoodmoulds. A blocked single-light window is next to the doorway. East end has end buttresses and a 14th century 3-light window with reticulated tracery and hoodmoulds with head stops. A small cross sits atop the east end gable.
Vestry and heating chamber: single-light east vestry window with voussoired segmental arch. 19th century window with segmental-arched head and board door in quoined surround to heating chamber, 19th century chimney rising up to north of chancel wall. North aisle has cinquefoiled 2-light window, a chamfered single-light window and a blocked quoined segmental-arched doorway. It ends with a stepped buttress.
The listed memorials in the churchyard can all be found close together, south of the church.
Building Materials
Millstone Grit
12th Century
Grassington Grit
Millstone Grit
12th Century
Millstone Grit
Interior
Interior Description
Entrance is through the west porch into the west end of the nave. Nave is plastered with stone-flagged floor and plaster panelled ceiling with timber frame. Three-bay north arcade has round pillars on bases, octagonal abaci and triple-chamfered round arches. Chancel arch is 14th century of one order. Chancel south wall shows fragments of 9th century stonework, including part of cross head. Octagonal font is 13th century, with a 17th century wooden cover with finial. 17th century wooden pulpil at front of nave.
Bells
Diameter: 19.25" Bell 2 of 2
1620
Dove Bell ID: 53963 Tower ID: 20110 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Churchyard
Grid reference: SE 190 901
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
The churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
| Name | Status | Number found in this site |
|---|---|---|
| Crab apple | Ancienttree | 1 |
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
Quinquennial Inspections
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