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Nothing is known of the old Parish of Alwinton before the 13th century except that the original building on this site was a Norman Chapel, parts of which remain and dictate the orientation of the present church (just North of East due to the geological structure of the hillside). The early Norman church had a nave of the usual double square plan and a very plain narrow arch leading to the chancel. In the 12th century the choir was rebuilt and lengthened and at the end of the same century, or early in the next, narrow north and south aisles were added to the nave with arcades of three arches inserted in its side walls. In architectural terms, this was the Transitional Period, the change from Norman to the early Gothic style. The two small lancet windows either side of the choir/chancel date from this period. Also in the 13th century a south chapel or aisle transept was added to the nave.
The unique feature of this church is the height of the chancel floor which was raised in the early 14th century to provide a crypt for the Clennell family. A close look reveals that the second step from the top has chamfered ends allowing it to be lifted out. Once this has been done, the rest follow providing a formal entrance to the burial chamber. A door in the north wall, which was sealed in the 1960s, provided an external access. The 15th & 16th centuries were a very bleak period in the history of the Alwinton church building. It became neglected and fell into a state of disrepair. A Curate, Alexander Menzies, who sought to improve the fabric of the church and uplift the services, records in 1627 that: “The walls of the church and chancel are in great decay.
No glasse and noe doores for the church, but that it fell open”.
1582: The first time the church is recorded as dedicated to “St. Michael and All Angels”. Churches on hills were often dedicated to the Archangel, for being close to heaven (sic the church) St. Michael could be easily called upon to ward off the devil. On the other hand, the dedication may simply be because historically the priest was paid on that Feast Day (see above).
1635: The inhabitants of Alwinton were instructed to repair the building but nothing was done until later when one of the Selbys rebuilt it in 1672 as an aisle-less family pew and burial place. Some time later the chancel was repaired. A hundred years later there was great activity in church building, the church wardens and minister agreed in 1720 to spend half of the whole parish rental on the repair of Holystone church and at the same time work started on the church at Alwinton.
1724: The church was re-roofed and covered with stone slates. The south chapel was now allotted to Biddlestone (a title it still retains), and the north aisle continued to be the Barrow Porch and the two other bays became the Shilmoor and Clennell estate porches. A porch is an area where a specific family sat.
1729: The roof was re-slated with slate from Eglingham and the parish took over the Barrow porch and Selby Crypt (Biddlestone Porch).
1742: The Patronage changed from the Bishop of Durham to the Duke of Northumberland, and in 1892, the Lord Chancellor became joint Patron. Until the living was suspended in 1999, the patronage was shared on an alternate basis. 1839: By this date the Clennell crypt had been allotted to the Selby family and it was after a visit here that year that the Archdeacon, The Venerable Singleton wrote affectionately, describing the ascent to the the church, though damp, was not in as bad a state of repair as he had been led to believe. This betrays the already existing plan by the then Rector, Aislabie Proctor, to pull the old church down. Singleton opposed the scheme as firmly as his gentle nature would allow and it was not until 1851-52 that the Revd Proctor was able to let a Durham architect, George Pickering, loose on the building. The same architect had been used at Holystone in 1848 The nave was completely pulled down except for the east end and lower part of the north wall. Likewise, the south, or Biddlestone Porch, was rebuilt and a vestry added to the chancel. If you stand at the font looking towards the altar, the only parts that remain of the original church are the foundations of the north aisle and the chancel arch, the steps and parts of the chancel.
[Extracted from the Parish Brief History and Guide - with thanks] |
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