Ryton Parish Church

SJ 70 SE RYTON C.P. RYTON

5/124 Ryton parish church (dedication unknown)

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G.V. II

Parish church. Medieval, early C18 Gothic Revival and 1886. Sandstone ashlar, plain tiled roofs. Nave, chancel, West tower, north aisle and vestry. Tower. Probably early C18 (see inscription of 1710 to church- wardens on internal west wall); 2 stages ; lower stage with cusped 2-light window in west wall, 4 above to belfry, embattled parapet with broadly hollowed string course below, corner pinnacles, copper weathervane and clock on south face; late C19 entrance on south, Decorated style pointed arch with attached columns. Nave. The east and south walls appear to be medieval but much of the stonework has been renewed, 2 late C19 2- light Decorated style windows. Chancel. Also early C18 but with late C19 windows; 3 cusped lights to east window with quatrefoil frieze below, two 2-light Decorated style windows to south, plain pointed south doorway with hoodmould; moulded eaves cornice on south and C19 cross to east gable. North aisle. 1886. Two 2-light windows on south with geometrical tracery (inserted in north wall of nave in 1874 and moved to aisle in 1886), naturalistic leaf carving to label stops, cusped lancet with quatrefoil above to west wall, crosses to gables. Vestry. Also of 1886, 2 light window with cusped heads in east wall. Interior. Tall pointed tower arch without imposts or capitals, 3 bay north aisle arcade with octagonal capitals, late C19 chancel arch with corbelled capitals, panelled roof and trussed rafter roof to chancel both late C19; vestry separated from chancel by a low wide arch and screen of c.1890. Late C19 stained glass to nave, chancel and aisle; C20 stained glass to East window, font and pulpit late C19, encaustic tiles and late C19 texts on metal boards at the east end of the north aisle; seating also late C19, pitch pine benches with built-in brass candelabra. Monuments. A tablet built into the west wall of the tower commemorates Thomas Pitt and Aaron Louet, churchwardens, who were presumably responsible for the building of the tower, mid C19 monument with crocketted finials to members of the Harding family on the north wall; on the west wall of the nave, early C19 wall tablets to the Head and Harding families and a tablet to Mary Coxwell (died 1776) by Westmacott, draped curtains beneath inscription with a coat of arms above; on the south wall of the nave is a small brass plate to William Sansam of Atchley (died 1723). Cranage, Vol.I, pp.25-26.

Listing NGR: SJ7605902799