Church of St Agatha

Church of St Agatha

Church, originally late 11th century with significant additions and alterations spanning the early 14th, late 14th, late 15th centuries, and restoration and additions in 1845. The building is constructed of rubble with Welsh slate, stone slate and lead roofs.

The church comprises a west tower, nave with south aisle, south porch, inner and outer north aisles, chancel with vestry to the north.

The west tower dates to the late 11th century and was raised in the late 15th century. It rises in three stages separated by chamfered bands, with quoins at the corners. A five-sided stair turret was added in 1845, providing access to the ringing chamber and capped with a pyramidal stone roof. Above the turret sits a chamfered vesica window. The third stage contains a blocked round-arched window with, above it, a straight-headed double-chamfered belfry opening that formerly held three closely-spaced mullions. The tower is topped with a crenellated parapet and central weathercock. The west side has a ground-floor segmental-arched hollow-moulded window with three pointed lights and label; the second stage is blank; the third stage matches the south. The north side is blank except for the third stage matching the south. On the east side, an octagonal wooden clock face sits on the second stage, with the third stage again matching the south.

The porch features a pointed-arched doorway assembled from fragments, partly chamfered, with a sundial above inscribed "Fugit Hora Ora" (Time Flies Pray). A hollowed section corbels out to support a parapet with flat lead roof. The right return has a small window. Inside the porch, a bench table to the left holds a medieval chamfered grave cover of the Barningham family (who held Sedbury until 1350) decorated with a cross, sword and shield bearing three muzzled bears rampant. To the right is another bench table displaying several pre-Conquest carved stones, including an Anglian cross head and medieval fragments. The porch also contains the 14th century south doorway of the nave, featuring a double-chamfered continuously-moulded pointed arch with label.

The south aisle dates to the early 14th century. Its 19th century windows include a two-light west window with Decorated-style tracery, two two-light south windows with Decorated-style tracery and plain parapet, and a three-light east window with Decorated-style tracery. The roof is Welsh slate. The south clerestory of late 15th century date has three two-light straight-headed windows with pointed lights and plain parapet above the flat lead nave roof.

The outer north aisle dates to 1845 and has a two-light east window partly of 14th century date with reticulated tracery, four 19th century two-light north windows with reticulated tracery, and a 19th century two-light west window with reticulated tracery. It has a Welsh slate roof. The inner north aisle, also of 1845, features a five-light east window with Decorated-style tracery and a matching west window, with Welsh slate roof. The north clerestory of late 15th century date matches the south clerestory.

The chancel is mainly 19th century in construction. It contains four Romanesque-style round-arched windows with continuous label, and below the third window a priest's door with rolled round arch and one shafted order with waterleaf capitals. There are three Romanesque-style east windows. In the north wall, behind the vestry, is a blocked Romanesque round arch containing a blocked Romanesque round-arched window.

The lean-to vestry dates to the late 14th century and has a stone slate roof. Its pointed-arched east window features a roll on chamfer, divided into two by a mullion which bisects the arch, with head stops to the label.

Interior features include a late 11th century tower arch of semicircular form with even voussoirs and simple imposts. The south arcade comprises three bays of early 14th century date with double-chamfered arches and labels on octagonal piers with square bases. The inner north arcade is similar to the south arcade but lacks labels. The outer north arcade is 19th century, matching the others in style across four bays.

The chancel arch is early 14th century with a double-chamfered four-centred arch and label; above it are two corbels. In the north side of the chancel, the vestry doorway has a pointed arch continuously moulded with roll, hollow and wave, with a label bearing carved animal and man on stops. Inside the vestry is a half-tunnel vault with two sets of diagonal ribs.

The south aisle contains, at its east end, the head of a piscina and a 15th century tomb recess with cusped gable and finial, holding a grave cover with an eight-armed fleury cross and sword. In the tower sits a font with circular basin set on four shafts with waterleaf capitals. The nave has a 15th century roof and good quality pews, some with old finial ends. There is a 19th century reading desk and pulpit. 19th century choir stalls of richly carved misericord style are mounted in the nave.

Mounted on the nave's north pier of the tower arch is a black marble monument with bas relief figures of Sir Henry Boynton and his wife Isabella (died 1531), with marginal Latin inscription. Set in the floor of the outer north aisle is a black marble grave cover commemorating another Boynton.

Wall monuments in the south aisle include marble tablets to Matthew Raine, Vicar of Stanwick St John; Matthew Raine (died 1771) with Greek inscription; Matthew Raine (died 1807), Master of Hartforth School and his wife Esther; and Matthew Raine (died 1811), Headmaster of Charterhouse School from 1791. East of the door is a marble tablet commemorating the Hon James D'Arcy of Sedbury (died 1731), framed by fluted pilasters carrying urns above an entablature with armorial achievement. West of the door is a black marble tablet to James D'Arcy (née Jessop) (died 1733), grandson of the above, with coat of arms borne by heraldic beasts with volutes.

On the north wall of the outer north aisle is a painted George IV coat of arms dated 1827.