St Gregorys Minster

Church. The church largely dates to around 1060, with significant additions and alterations in the 13th and 15th centuries, a late 13th-century north chapel (now the vestry), a porch built in 1800, a tower constructed in 1827, and a chancel rebuilt in 1881. A restoration was undertaken in 1907-1909 by Temple Moore. The church is built of limestone rubble, with the tower and north aisle and chapel, south porch, chancel, and west tower faced in dressed limestone, and a timber gabled porch. A reset 13th-century pointed doorway, under a dripmould, is located in the south wall of the chancel, with a single lancet window to its left. To the right of the porch, a 3-light window with cusped heads is recessed within a squared surround. The square west tower has a louvred bell opening beneath a shallow, hipped roof. Visible in the wall to the left of the tower are three reset Saxon cross shaft fragments, and Saxon quoins, remnants of the earlier north wall. The upper courses of the rebuilt nave north wall incorporate a 2-light window with cusped heads. At the east end of the chancel are three lancets topped with an oculus. Inside, a Saxon west doorway forms the tower arch—it is narrow and round-arched, with quoined jambs and shafts supporting rough block capitals. The aisle arcade features octagonal columns, rolute and waterleaf capitals, and double-chamfered pointed arches. Stone benches are preserved along the north and south walls, and within the porch. Other original features include a 13th-century octagonal font and altar rails donated in 1635. Two Saxon grave slabs are preserved between the arcade columns, along with remnants of a 14th-century carved stone Virgin and Child. There are two bells, one dating to around 1300 and the other from 1400-1450. A Saxon sundial has survived intact above the doorway inside the porch. This long stone slab is divided into three sections: the central section contains the sundial (without a gnomon), and the two outer sections hold an inscription that translates as: “Orm Gamal’s son bought St. Gregory’s Minster when it was all broken down and fallen and he let it be made anew from the ground to Christ and St. Gregory, in Edward's days, the king, and in Tosti's days, the Earl. This is day's Sun marker at every tide. And Haworth me wrought and Brand, priests.”