Church Of St Edward The Confessor

The Church of St Edward the Confessor is a parish church dating from 1847 to 1849, designed by Vickers and Hugall of Pontefract. A vestry extension was added in 1902, and the spire was renewed in 1970. The church is constructed of squared limestone with green slate roofs, topped by a fibreglass spire designed to resemble ashlar.

The church's plan comprises an aisleless nave, a west bell turret, a north porch, a lower chancel, and a south-east vestry. The west wall features diagonal buttresses, with a central buttress reducing over four stages, and two moulded pointed windows of two lights with Geometrical tracery. Above these sits a four-sided bell turret set diagonally upon moulded corbelling; its lowest stage has a clock face facing north-west, and the bell openings are pointed and cusped. The south wall of the nave has four bays defined by buttresses and features windows of two lights with Geometrical tracery, except for the western window which has a single light. The north wall has two similar windows. The gabled north porch has a moulded pointed doorway with angle shafts having foliated caps, and 20th-century glazed doors. A niche at the gable apex contains a statue of St Edward the Confessor. The north wall of the chancel has two two-light windows with elaborate mouldings including ball flower decoration and hood moulds with head stops. The east window of the chancel is of three lights with Geometrical tracery, ornamented with ball flower decoration, shafts, and caps. The south wall of the vestry has windows with plain pointed lights, two to the left of the door and one to the right. The east wall of the vestry has a flat head and two trefoiled ogee lights.

The interior was reportedly painted and gilded, featuring painted texts and inscribed scrolls in relief, a Minton tiled floor, and a nave roof supported by demi-angels holding shields. Fittings include an octagonal stone pulpit and font, wooden pews, and carved choir stalls. Stained glass was designed by William Wailes in 1849, and a memorial window to Mrs G Brierley, designed by Bewsey, was added in 1932. A monument to Samuel Francis Barlow, dating from 1800 and originally from an earlier chapel, is located in the vestry. This is constructed of white marble on a grey base, with a fluted base, moulded cornice, and a draped urn on a pedestal flanked by two flaming lamps, and is signed Wm.Stead, York.