Parish Church Of St Ricarius Or St Riquier

ABERFORD MAIN STREET SE43NW LS25 (west side) 2/8 Parish Church of 3.2.67 St. Ricarius or St. Riquier (Formerly listed as Church of St. Ricarius or St. Riquier)

GV II

Parish church. 1861 rebuilding of C12 church, retaining a little of the original masonry and copying the former tower. Squared white sandstone and slate roofs, tower of magnesian limestone. West tower with short spire, nave with north and south aisles, porch to south aisle, chancel with south chapel and north vestry. Mostly simple C13 style. Rectangular three-stage tower has rubble base but is mostly of squared masonry, has single round-headed lancets to lst and 2nd stages of south side and at intermediate level of west side, bands to the slightly set- back upper stages, Norman-style round-headed belfry windows on all sides of the 3rd stage, each of 2 louvred lights divided by a colonette with cushion capital (east window containing clock face), a corbel table with corner gargoyles, embattled parapet; and a short octagonal spire. Four-bay nave aisles; prominent gabled porch to 1st bay of south aisle has 2-centred arched moulded outer and inner doorways, both under hoodmoulds with figured stops, and a wall sundial over the outer doorway; aisles have similarly-arched windows with similar hoodmoulds, all of 2 cinquefoil lights; nave has 8 trefoil clerestory windows. Chapel has a priest door and a window, like the other openings, and a 3-light east window; chancel has a large 5-light east window with reticulated tracery. Roofs have stone gable copings with apex crosses. Interior: 4-bay arcades of double-chamfered 2-centred arches supported by short cylindrical columns with annular caps; arch-braced kingpost roof; west gallery carried by a Gothic-style wooden screen (now glazed); large moulded chancel arch, the wall above it covered with figurative painting (C20); 2-bay arcade on each side of chancel, and beyond that on the north side, a Normal lancet (presumably relocated); 2 large hatchments on south aisle wall.

Listing NGR: SE4328837153