Churches in the benefice of Middle Esk Moor in Whitby Deanery.

Egton St Hilda

(N 54.44167, W -0.75333) Postcode: YO21 1UT

Part of Egton village lies about six miles WSW of Whitby near an ancient crossing point in the Esk valley. The other part lies 700 feet higher, atop the steep valley sides. Until the mid‑nineteenth century Egton was part of the parish of Lythe, but there are records of a place of worship here as early as 1349. It was probably beside the road to Glaisdale half a mile west of the present church. Successive churches of St Hilda were built at this site until 1878: in that year the church was pulled down and re-erected at its present site by the three brothers Foster of Egton Manor. The church contains a richness of heraldic references to the family. With part of its walls and churchyard gate, t is Grade II listed. The design was by Whitby architect E. H. Smales (also see Hawsker All Saints) in a mixture of Norman and Gothic styles. Notable features are its hammer beam roof, and beautiful reredos and font in Caen stone. The stained glass includes two windows by Arthur J.Dix: one depicting St Hilda, and another, in memory of the wife of one of the brothers, depicting St Elizabeth of Hungary. In due course, the remainder of the church at the old site was built up into a mortuary chapel which recently has been refurbished.

The Deanery Synod Representatives are not appointed.
More information may be found at:
http://www.mideskbenefice.org.uk
http://acny.org.uk/19369/

Glaisdale St Thomas the Apostle

( N54.4375, W -0.807778) Postcode: YO21 2PJ

Glaisdale village lies on the southern side of the valley above a loop in the Esk about 8½ miles west of Whitby. Until boundary changes around 1870 it had been part of the parish of Danby. However, it had had its own place of worship since the fourteenth century and a stone used in the steps leading to the tower of the present building bears the date 1585. This Grade II listed Georgian church was built in 1792-3: the date can be seen on the south wall sundial. It was extensively remodelled internally in the late 1870s during the iron-working boom in the village. As part of this, two side galleries were taken out leaving one gallery in the west. In 1960 this became the home of a new organ. The stained glass in the east and west windows is good, and in the south wall there is a modern window by stained glass artist Alan Davis of Lythe in memory of Richard Smith, churchwarden for many years.

The Deanery Synod Representatives are not appointed.
More information may be found at:
http://www.mideskbenefice.org.uk
http://www.acny.org.uk/19373/

Lealholm St James the Greater

(N 54.54861, W -0.82417) Postcode: YO21 2AQ

Lealholm lies about 9 miles WSW of Whitby in the Esk valley at a natural (and easier) fording place, downstream of the steep sided valley of Crunkly Gill. The village is mentioned in the Domesday book. Until boundary changes around 1870 it was part of the parish of Danby. It was then brought into the township and parish of Glaisdale. Lealholm had no Anglican church until 1902, when Derby industrialist Francis Ley (later Sir Francis, Bt) and his wife Georgina (nee. Willis, of Aislaby Hall) paid for a church to be built. The land had been given by The Viscount Downe. It was built by the Gothic Revival architect Temple Lushington Moore (who was to go on to rebuild St Hilda's, Danby). It is Grade II* listed and notable interior features are the barrelled roof, good woodwork and carved marble reredos. The stained glass is twentieth century,the east window being a memorial to Sir Francis Ley. There is a window in Pre-Raphaelite style in the south east.
The Deanery Synod Representatives are not appointed.
More information may be found at:
http://www.mideskbenefice.org.uk http://www.acny.org.uk/19374/

Goathland St Mary

(N 54.39444, W -0.72472) Postcode: YO22 5AW

The ancient village of Goathland lies 500ft above sea level in a small depression in the North Yorkshire Moors. It is 8 miles SW of Whitby and has had a place of worship since the early twelfth century, when a small Benedictine community was established by royal charter. At least two earlier churches had occupied the site of the present church when it was built to a design of Walter Brierley of York, and funded largely by Mr (later Sir) Malcolm McEachern, a London shipbroker who had married a local girl. Notable features of the church are the ancient font, the Elizabethan pulpit and the woodwork (with 9½ mice!) made by the firm of 'Mousey' Thompson. There is also a stone altar table with five incised crosses on top and edge, thought to have come from the twelfth century chapel. The beautiful stained glass represents three historical periods: Victorian (east window) 'Arts and Crafts' by J. C. N. Bewsey (south windows) and modern in the Millennium windows by Anne Sotheran of York.

The Deanery Synod Representative is Mike Lyth.
More information may be found at:
http://www.mideskbenefice.org.uk
http://www.acny.org.uk/19375/

Grosmont St Matthew

(N 54.4375, W -0.807778) Postcode: YO22 5QW

Grosmont lies about 6 miles SW of Whitby in a steep sided part of the Esk valley close to a confluence with the Murk Esk and an ancient crossing place. The North Yorkshire Moors Railway runs due south from the railway station towards Pickering, and as it does so passes through a tunnel above and to the east of which stands Saint Matthew's church. The church was built to serve the needs of a greatly increased population due to ironstone mining and the coming of the steam railway. It was designed by Whitby architects Charles Armfield and John Bottomley in Early English style, funded largely by local ironmasters and Mrs Mary Clarke, a sister of the Revd Dr William Scoresby. It has a most interesting roof of hybrid form, the carved stone reredos incorporates a mosaic crucifixion scene, and the altar is by Robert 'Mousey' Thompson. The Caen stone pulpit incorporates a statue of St Matthew. The organ by Alfred Kirkland is very special. The stained glass is beautiful and interesting, the east window being from the preceding church. In 2012-13 the early Norman font was relocated to allow the partitioning-off of parts of the north and south aisles for toilets and a kitchen.

The Deanery Synod Representatives are Vi McGrath and Jim Muir.
More information may be found at:
http://www.mideskbenefice.org.uk
http://www.acny.org.uk/19376/