Parish Church

The parish church is a large building dating from the 13th century, with a 15th-century upper stage on the tower and 19th-century restorations, particularly to the windows. It features a five-bay nave with north and south aisles and a south porch, along with a five-bay chancel that has a north porch and a west tower. The church is constructed of ashlar and roughly coursed rubble, all made of sandstone, topped with a Westmoreland slate roof. The three-stage tower has diagonal buttresses that clasp the chancel and angle to the south aisle and south porch. Most of the decorated windows are from the 19th century, except for parts of four on the south side of the chancel and one on the north. The priest's door on the south side of the chancel was blocked in 1867. The nave arcades have plain capitals that support double-chamfered arches. An almond-shaped window in the west wall of the south aisle contains glass by L C Evetts of Newcastle. The church also houses the tomb of Michael Matthew of Cleadon, who died in 1689, created by Wm. Smith, featuring a reclining figure of the period with a skull between the feet and weepers in contemporary costume. Additionally, there are two pre-Reformation bells dedicated to Saints Mary and Andrew, which is likely why the church is sometimes said to be dedicated to either saint, although its original dedication, if any, is not known.